Verily and Kyverna Collaborate to Advance Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases

Rare Daily Staff

Alphabet’s precision health technology company Verily has entered into a collaboration with cell therapy developer Kyverna Therapeutics to identify novel biomarkers and innovate clinical trial design and execution.

The initial phase of the collaboration focuses on deploying Verily’s state-of-the-art immune mapping platform Immune Profiler to elucidate biomarkers of treatment response in autoimmune patients treated with Kyverna’s KYV-101. KYV-101 is an autologous version of a novel, fully human clinical-stage anti-CD19 CAR T construct with properties well suited for use in B cell-driven autoimmune diseases such as lupus nephritis and other B-cell driven autoimmune diseases. It is currently in phase 1 clinical trials in the United States and Europe.

“B cell depletion using CAR T-cells represents a new frontier with curative potential for autoimmune patients, and together we will be uncovering the biological basis of the immune reset that confers durable therapeutic response in these patients,” said Charlie Kim, head of molecular science at Verily.

Immune Profiler’s high-resolution molecular phenotyping and advanced computational analytics enables interrogation of a broad range of immune functions over the time course of CAR T-cell therapy, providing a view of biological activity. Kyverna brings a network of research-ready participants and a growing sample library from treating autoimmune patients in multiple indications and geographies with KYV-101, its fully human anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy.

Additionally, as part of the collaboration, Verily and Kyverna will implement digital tools and technology solutions to reframe evidence generation, using a participant-centered study design that draws conclusions from data collected in real-world settings in addition to data collected directly from study sites. The companies will also develop solutions specifically designed for the needs of autoimmune patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy.

“This collaboration links Verily’s deep molecular capabilities with its extensive suite of tools for real-world evidence generation, providing a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the biology and participant experience with this new therapeutic modality in autoimmune disease,” said Amy Abernethy, president of product development and chief medical officer at Verily.

Photo: Amy Abernethy, president of product development and chief medical officer at Verily