Artiva Biotherapeutics, a U.S. affiliate of GC Cell (144510.KQ), has halted development of its allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell therapy. GC Cell, which provided the underlying technology, is now unlikely to collect milestone payments or post-commercialization sales royalties.
Artiva announced on the 27th, local time, that it was discontinuing further development of AB-101 and a planned Phase 3 trial in rheumatoid arthritis. The company cited two deaths that occurred during the trials and treatment effects that did not last as long as its own standards required. AB-101 is a cell therapy designed to direct NK cells, immune cells already present in the body, to attack cancer directly, and had been developed in combination with the…