Press Release

SAN FRANCISCO, May 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) today announced five abstracts accepted for presentation at the 55^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which is being held from May 31 to June 4, 2019 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. The abstracts published in advance of the ASCO Annual Meeting were made available at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time today on the ASCO meeting website at http://www.abstract.asco.org.

"We are pleased to announce the presentation of five abstracts for our lead I-O investigational candidate, bempegaldesleukin, which includes important translational clinical data for the combination of bempeg with nivolumab as well as early data from an investigator-sponsored pilot study conducted in patients with heavily pre-treated, rapidly progressing and refractory sarcomas," said Stephen Doberstein, Ph.D., Chief Research & Development Officer at Nektar. "We are also highlighting several registrational trials underway for bempeg plus nivo in patients with melanoma and RCC. We believe bempeg has a unique and non-overlapping mechanism which synergizes with various immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors, to improve the body's cancer-fighting immune response and potentially improve treatment outcomes for patients with a variety of cancers."  

Details of abstract presentations are as follows:

Developmental Immunotherapy and Tumor Immunobiology
Abstract #2584/Poster Board #228*
Title: "Overcoming genetically-based resistance mechanisms to PD-1 blockade", Torrejon, D., et al.
Date: Saturday, June 1, 2019, 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Central Time
Location: McCormick Place, Exhibit Hall A
*2019 ASCO Annual Meeting Merit Award recipient

Abstract #2623/Poster Board #267
Title: "Baseline tumor-immune signatures associated with response to bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) and nivolumab", Hurwitz, M., et al.
Date:Saturday, June 1, 2019, 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Central Time
Location: McCormick Place, Exhibit Hall A

Emerging Combinations in Sarcoma Immunotherapy
Abstract #11010
Title: "Pilot study of bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) and nivolumab in patients with sarcomas"
Presenter: Sandra D'Angelo, M.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Date: Monday, June 3, 2019, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Central Time
Location: McCormick Place, S100a

Details of Trials in Progress poster presentations are as follows:

Melanoma/Skin Cancers
Abstract TPS9601/Poster Board #168b (Trials in progress (TiP) abstract)
Title: "CA045-001: A phase III, randomized, open label study of bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) plus nivolumab (NIVO) versus NIVO monotherapy in patients (pts) with previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic melanoma (MEL)", Khushalani, N., et al.
Date: Monday, June 3, 2019, 1:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Central Time
Location: McCormick Place, Exhibit Hall A

Genitourinary (Nonprostate) Cancer
Abstract TPS4595/Poster Board #416b (Trials in progress (TiP) abstract)
Title: "A phase III randomized open label study comparing bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) plus nivolumab to sunitinib or cabozantinib (investigator's choice) in patients with previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma", Tannir, N., et al.
Date:Monday, June 3, 2019, 1:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Central Time
Location: McCormick Place, Exhibit Hall A

About Bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214)
Bempegaldesleukin is an investigational, first-in-class, CD122-preferential IL-2 pathway agonist designed to provide rapid activation and proliferation of cancer-killing immune cells, known as CD8+ effector T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, without over activating the immune system. Bempegaldesleukin stimulates these cancer-killing immune cells in the body by targeting CD122 specific receptors found on the surface of these immune cells. CD122, which is also known as the Interleukin-2 receptor beta subunit, is a key signaling receptor that is known to increase proliferation of these effector T cells.¹ In clinical and preclinical studies, treatment with bempegaldesleukin resulted in expansion of these cells and mobilization into the tumor micro-environment.^2,3 Bempegaldesleukin has an antibody-like dosing regimen similar to the existing checkpoint inhibitor class of approved medicines.

About Nektar
Nektar Therapeutics is a research-based, development stage biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover and develop innovative medicines to address the unmet medical needs of patients. Our R&D pipeline of new investigational medicines includes treatments for cancer, auto-immune disease and chronic pain. We leverage Nektar's proprietary and proven chemistry platform in the discovery and design of our new therapeutic candidates. Nektar is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with additional operations in Huntsville, Alabama and Hyderabad, India. Further information about the company and its drug development programs and capabilities may be found online at http://www.nektar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements which can be identified by words such as: "provide," "may," "plan," "designed," and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding the therapeutic potential of bempegaldesleukin in combination with nivolumab, the future development plans of bempegaldesleukin, and the availability of results and outcomes from our clinical and preclinical studies. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, anticipated events and trends, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others: (i) our statements regarding the therapeutic potential of bempegaldesleukin in combination with nivolumab are based on current preclinical and clinical findings and future data generated from ongoing and new studies may be materially different; (ii) bempegaldesleukin is in early stage development and the risk of failure remains high and failure can unexpectedly occur at any stage for one or more of the cancer indications being studied prior to regulatory approval due to lack of sufficient efficacy, safety considerations or other factors that negatively impact drug development; (iii) the timing of the commencement and end of clinical studies and the availability of clinical data may be delayed due to regulatory delays, slower than anticipated patient enrollment, manufacturing challenges, changing standards of care, evolving regulatory requirements, clinical trial design, or clinical outcomes; (iv) scientific discovery of new medical breakthroughs is an inherently uncertain process and the future regulatory approval of potential new drug candidates (such as bempegaldesleukin) is therefore very uncertain and unpredictable; (v) patents may not issue from our patent applications for our drug candidates, patents that have issued may not be enforceable, or additional intellectual property licenses from third parties may be required; and (vi) certain other important risks and uncertainties set forth in Nektar's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2019. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Contact:

For Investors:
Jennifer Ruddock of Nektar Therapeutics
415-482-5585

Jodi Sievers of Nektar Therapeutics
415-482-5593

For Media:
Dan Budwick of 1AB
973-271-6085
dan@1abmedia.com

¹ Boyman, J., et al., Nature Reviews Immunology, 2012, 12, 180-190.
² Charych, D., et al., Clin Can Res; 22(3) February 1, 2016
³ Diab, A., et al., Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2016, 4(Suppl 1): P369

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SOURCE Nektar Therapeutics