Therapeutics: CD47; stem cell factor receptor tyrosine kinase (c-Kit; KIT; CD117)

Patient sample and mouse studies suggest CD47 inhibitors could help treat atherosclerosis and condition patients for hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs). In carotid artery samples from atherosclerosis patients, CD47 expression was higher in atherosclerotic plaques than in normal vascular tissue. In a mouse model of atherosclerosis, an anti-CD47 tool mAb decreased plaque size, necrotic core size and apoptotic body numbers compared with a control antibody. In a mouse model of HSCT, co-treatment with a mAb against c-Kit and a chimeric molecule composed of mouse CD47 antagonists and human Ig domains decreased the number of host hematopoietic cells and increased donor cell engraftment compared with the anti-c-Kit mAb alone. Next steps by Forty Seven Inc. include identifying optimal inhibitors of human CD47 for each indication (see "Forty Seven and Counting," page 1).

Forty Seven Inc. and Stanford University have Hu5F9-G4, an anti-CD47 mAb, in Phase I testing to treat acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and solid tumors...