SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HARP), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing novel T cell engagers, announced today that the preclinical data on HPN601 for the treatment of solid tumors has been accepted for oral presentation at the 35^th Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) annual meeting. The virtual meeting takes place November 9-14, 2020. HPN601 targets the tumor antigen EpCAM and is based on Harpoon’s proprietary ProTriTAC™ T cell engager prodrug platform designed to enable the effective targeting of more broadly expressed tumor antigens.

Full details of the presentation are as follows:

Abstract #: 632
Title: HPN601 is a protease-activated EpCAM-targeting T cell engager with an improved safety profile for the treatment of solid tumors
Presenter: Jack Lin, Ph.D.
Session: 208 Bispecific Antibodies in Cancer Immunotherapy
Date and Time: November 12, 2020, 4:15 – 4:30 p.m. EST

A copy of the presentation will be available on the company’s website at https://ir.harpoontx.com/events-and-presentations shortly after the event.

About ProTriTAC™

Harpoon designed the ProTriTAC™ platform to expand the universe of addressable targets and indications for T cell engagers. IND enabling studies are underway for the first ProTriTAC™ clinical candidate, HPN601. ProTriTAC™ applies a prodrug concept to create a therapeutic T cell engager that remains inactive until it reaches the tumor. Upon entering a tumor, tumor-associated proteases cleave off the blocking domain of the ProTriTAC™, thereby enabling engagement of T cells to subsequently kill tumor cells. This activation process also diminishes the half-life of the resulting T cell engager. If active molecules leave the tumor tissue, they are rapidly eliminated from the body, further limiting potential side effects in normal tissues.

About Harpoon Therapeutics

Harpoon Therapeutics is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a novel class of T cell engagers that harness the power of the body’s immune system to treat patients suffering from cancer and other diseases. T cell engagers are engineered proteins that direct a patient’s own T cells to kill target cells that express specific proteins, or antigens, carried by the target cells. Using its proprietary Tri-specific T cell Activating Construct (TriTAC^®) platform, Harpoon is developing a pipeline of novel TriTACs initially focused on the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. HPN424 targets PSMA and is in a Phase 1/2a trial for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. HPN536 targets mesothelin and is in a Phase 1/2a trial for cancers expressing mesothelin including ovarian and pancreatic cancers. HPN217 targets BCMA and is in a Phase 1/2 trial for relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma. HPN328 targets DLL3 and Harpoon plans to initiate a Phase1/2 trial in the second half of 2020. For additional information about Harpoon Therapeutics, please visit www.harpoontx.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “target,” “estimate,” “intend” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Harpoon Therapeutics’ expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties that could cause Harpoon Therapeutics’ clinical development programs, future results or performance to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the progress, timing, scope and anticipated results of clinical trials, the timing of the presentation of data, the association of data with potential treatment outcomes, the development and advancement of product candidates, the timing of development milestones for product candidates, and the anticipated potential impacts to Harpoon Therapeutics’ business from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results, including unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during clinical studies, clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected, unanticipated or greater than anticipated impacts or delays due to COVID-19, changes in expected or existing competition, changes in the regulatory environment, the uncertainties and timing of the regulatory approval process, and unexpected litigation or other disputes. Other factors that may cause Harpoon Therapeutics’ actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Harpoon Therapeutics’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” sections contained therein. Except as required by law, Harpoon Therapeutics assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, even as new information becomes available.

Contacts:

Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
Georgia Erbez
Chief Financial Officer
650-443-7400
media@harpoontx.com

Westwicke ICR
Robert H. Uhl
Managing Director
858-356-5932
robert.uhl@westwicke.com

Source: Harpoon Therapeutics