HEALIO K.K. provided its innovative eNK platform for a novel research study on metastatic uveal melanoma at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Researchers at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center ­ Jefferson Health will evaluate whether Healios' allogeneic iPS cell-derived NK cells with specific functions enhanced by gene editing technology (eNK cells) can control metastatic uveal cancer cell growth in laboratory models of the disease. At Jefferson, a team led by Dr. Mizue Terai, PhD will pursue research entitled "Immunotherapy of metastatic uveal melanoma using iPSC-derived NK cells" utilizing Healios' eNK cells in experiments.

Dr. Terai's proposed research was selected for a team research grant from The Melanoma Research Institute of Excellence (MRIE) at Jefferson for the development of novel therapeutics for metastatic uveal melanoma. In addition to providing eNK cells for use in the research, Healios will cooperate with the research and provide necessary technical support, and Healios has entered into a material transfer agreement with Jefferson in this regard. Uveal melanoma (eye melanoma) is the most common adult primary intra-ocular cancer, and accounts for approximately 5% of all melanomas.

Metastatic uveal melanoma most often spreads to the liver.