Artiva reports promising AlloNK therapy results in B-NHL study

SAN DIEGO - Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARTV), a clinical-stage biotech company with a market capitalization of $51.16 million, has announced new Phase 1/2 trial data suggesting durable responses with its AlloNK therapy, combined with rituximab, in treating relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). According to InvestingPro data, while the company maintains strong liquidity with a current ratio of 13.93, it’s currently burning through cash as it advances its clinical programs. The results, presented at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy annual meeting on May 13, 2025, showed a 64% complete response rate in patients who had not been treated with CAR-T cell therapy before.

Patients in the study had undergone a median of three prior therapies, with 13 out of 14 presenting with aggressive B-NHL. These outcomes are comparable to those seen with approved autologous CAR-T cell therapies in similar patient populations. The median duration of response for AlloNK with rituximab has not been reached but is at least 19.4 months, based on the March 7, 2025, data cut.

The safety profile of AlloNK in combination with rituximab was also highlighted, as it was well-tolerated among the 45 patients dosed. No cases of cytokine release syndrome were reported after reclassification, and there were no instances of immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome, graft-versus-host disease, or deaths related to AlloNK. For investors following this development, InvestingPro analysis reveals 12 additional key insights about Artiva’s financial health and market position, available in the comprehensive Pro Research Report. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were hematologic, such as neutropenia and leukopenia.

These findings support the potential use of AlloNK for deep B-cell depletion in refractory autoimmune populations. The lack of acute toxicities associated with cell therapies suggests that AlloNK could be administered in outpatient community settings.

Artiva Biotherapeutics focuses on developing cell therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancers. Their lead program, AlloNK, is designed to enhance the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies for B-cell depletion. AlloNK is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for B-cell driven autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and a basket trial across various autoimmune conditions.

The company, founded in 2019, operates out of San Diego, California, and holds exclusive worldwide rights (excluding Asia, Australia, and New Zealand) to NK cell manufacturing technology from GC Cell, a leading healthcare company in the Republic of Korea. With analyst price targets ranging from $10 to $23, significantly above the current trading price of $2.05, and a strong consensus recommendation of 1.33, detailed financial analysis is available through InvestingPro’s comprehensive research tools.

The information in this article is based on a press release statement from Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc.

In other recent news, Artiva Biotherapeutics has announced the appointment of Dr. Subhashis Banerjee as its new Chief Medical Officer. With over two decades of experience in clinical development, Dr. Banerjee is expected to advance Artiva’s lead program, AlloNK®, which is currently in clinical trials for autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus. H.C. Wainwright has maintained its Buy rating and $20 price target on Artiva, focusing on the potential of AlloNK to improve monoclonal antibody efficacy in B-cell depletion. The firm highlights AlloNK’s FDA Fast Track designation for treating lupus nephritis, emphasizing its cost-effective manufacturing process. Cantor Fitzgerald also adjusted its price target for Artiva to $20, while maintaining an Overweight rating, citing concerns about competitive dynamics and slow patient enrollment in the cell therapy sector. Despite these challenges, there is optimism among rheumatology specialists regarding the potential for long-lasting, drug-free remissions through cell therapy. Artiva is working on making NK-cell therapy more accessible with a safety profile suitable for administration outside specialized centers. The company aims to release initial data from its autoimmune trials by the first half of 2025.

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