Dr. Munshi on the Antitumor Effect of NKTR-255 in Patients With Myeloma

Nikhil C. Munshi, MD, director of Basic and Correlative Science, Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses the antitumor effect of NKTR-255 in patients with multiple myeloma.

NKTR-255 is a polymer-conjugated human interleukin (IL)-15—modified compound and its purpose is to help elongate the effect of IL-15. The effect is mainly upon natural killer (NK) cells, which are an important aspect of the immune system for an antitumor effect. The purpose of the IL-15 molecule is to encourage tumor site killing.

This molecule has been explored in preclinical studies, as well, to determine the effect it has on NK cells. Patients with myeloma have a deficiency in NK cells, which are needed to reject tumor cells and infected cells. The agent led to an increase in NK cell immediate killing of myeloma cells.

In comparison to IL-15, NKTR-255 appears to be superior, says Munshi.