Affimed Presents Additional Data on Combination of AFM13 with Checkpoint Inhibitors at ASH

Affimed N.V.

, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing highly targeted cancer immunotherapies, today presented preclinical data on the potency and efficacy of the combination of the Company's NK-cell-engaging TandAb, AFM13, with various checkpoint inhibitors, including further data with a marketed anti-PD-1 agent, at the 57th annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) conference in Orlando, Florida. Results showed that AFM13, the Company's CD30/CD16A TandAb, in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy demonstrated the most impressive synergy of the checkpoint inhibitors tested in the study. Specifically, the data showed that AFM13 rapidly enriches the tumor microenvironment with NK-cells and this enrichment is subsequently followed by tumor infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). In contrast, single-agent anti-PD-1 treatment had only a minor effect on CTL infiltration and, unsurprisingly, the number of NK-cells was not increased. Importantly, when AFM13 and anti-PD-1 were co-administered, both the NK-cell and CTL infiltration were further enhanced. In addition, further corroborating the observed efficacy, the combination of AFM13 and anti-PD-1 showed a substantial increase in cytokines, such as interferon gamma, within the tumor. "These findings are remarkable because they demonstrate that our NK-cell-engaging TandAbs may have the unique ability to trigger the body's natural immune cascade," said Adi Hoess, CEO of Affimed. "We look forward to seeing more mature data from ongoing studies as well as generating new data for AFM13 in 2016 to confirm these initial exciting results." Interim data from the ongoing Phase 2 monotherapy study of AFM13 in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma are expected in the second quarter of 2016, with full data on the primary endpoint by year-end 2016. In addition, the first combination study of AFM13 plus anti-PD-1 is on track to start in the first half of 2016. A translational study of AFM13 in CD30+ lymphoma patients with cutaneous manifestation is expected to begin in the near-term.