A phase 1b/2 study of magrolimab, an anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody, in combination with rituximab in patients with B-cell NHL

In March 2017, LLS began its partnership with Forty Seven to support "A Phase 1b/2 Trial of Hu5F9-G4 in Combination With Rituximab or Rituximab + Chemotherapy in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory B-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma." LLS funded Stanford University researchers and founders of Forty Seven, Irv Weissman, MD, and Ravi Majeti, MD, PhD, to study seminal work in macrophages. This is a type of immune cell that patrols the body and chews up damaged cells. If a macrophage latches onto a normal cell, a protein known as CD47 sends a “don’t eat me” signal. But lymphoma and leukemia cells are clever and use CD47 to trick the macrophages into ignoring them and letting them grow as cancer. In preclinical mice models, Drs. Weissman and Majeti used an antibody to block the “don’t eat me” signal and stimulate the immune system to recognize the cancer cells as invaders. When they added rituximab as an “eat me” signal, the therapy delivered a one-two punch.

Gilead Sciences acquired Forty Seven in April 2020 and continues to develop magrolimab in multiple clinical studies in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and solid tumors.