Quell Therapeutics Presents New Data Demonstrating the Ability of its Proprietary Phenotype Lock Technology to Enhance the Safety, Stability and Efficacy of Engineered Treg Therapies

Quell Therapeutics Presents New Data Demonstrating the Ability of its Proprietary Phenotype Lock Technology to Enhance the Safety, Stability and Efficacy of Engineered Treg Therapies

• Quell’s phenotype lock technology is a core element of its multi-modular engineered Treg platform
• Locks Treg cells in a potently suppressive phenotype and prevents switch to potentially pathogenic effector phenotypes
• Preclinical data presented at the European Society of Gene & Cell Therapy Virtual Congress 2021

London, UK – October 19, 2021 – Quell Therapeutics Ltd (“Quell”), the world leader in developing engineered T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapies for serious medical conditions driven by the immune system, today announced the presentation of an e-poster showcasing its proprietary phenotype lock technology at the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT) Virtual Congress 2021, taking place October 19-22, 2021.

Quell’s e-poster presents preclinical data demonstrating that Treg cells engineered to express constitutively high levels of FOXP3, considered the master transcription factor of Tregs, demonstrate a more stable Treg phenotype in vitro and in vivo, and are prevented from converting to a pathogenic effector-like cell phenotype. In addition, the enhanced expression of FOXP3 was also observed to improve the antigen-specific suppressive function of engineered CAR-Tregs. Quell plans to incorporate this FOXP3 phenotype lock as a core module in its pipeline of engineered Treg cell therapies.

Tracey Lodie Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, commented: “We are excited to present, for the first time, data on our proprietary Treg phenotype lock technology, demonstrating our ability to lock Treg cells in an immunosuppressive phenotype that enhances their safety, stability and efficacy. This is crucial to the successful development of Treg cell therapies, as Tregs may under certain conditions switch phenotype and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines that can facilitate an immune-mediated attack against the very cells and tissues the Treg therapy is designed to protect.”

Quell is currently preparing for the first ever clinical trial of a multi-modular engineered CAR-Treg cell therapy with lead candidate QEL-001, designed with the Company’s phenotype lock technology, to prevent organ rejection in liver transplant patients and ultimately to enable the withdrawal of long-term immunosuppressive therapy. Quell remains on track to begin the Phase 1/2 “LIBERATE” trial with QEL-001 in the first quarter of 2022.

e-Poster Presentation:

Title: Engineering Regulatory T cells with Constitutive expression of FOXP3 as a Phenotype-Lock Enhances Efficacy and Safety of Treg Cell Therapies

Authors: McGovern, JL et al.

Poster number: P202

About Quell Therapeutics

Quell Therapeutics is the world leader in developing engineered T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapies that aim to harness, direct and optimize their immune suppressive properties to address serious medical conditions driven by the immune system.

The Company is leveraging its pioneering phenotype lock technology, unique multi-modular platform and integrated manufacturing capabilities to design and develop a pipeline of highly engineered Treg cell therapies with greater potential for persistence, potency and stability than earlier generations of Treg cell therapy approaches.

Quell’s lead candidate QEL-001 is being developed to induce operational tolerance following liver transplantation, with the potential to protect the post-transplant liver without the need for chronic immunosuppressive medications. Quell is also advancing additional programs in neuroinflammatory and autoimmune diseases. www.quell-tx.com.