Precision Biologics Highlights New AML Target for CAR-NK Therapies

US-based Precision Biologics, a clinical stage biotechnology company, has announced new preclinical findings identifying a potential therapeutic target for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which the company will present at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego, Calif. The study highlights ongoing efforts to expand antigen discovery for cell-based immunotherapies, according to a company announcement on April 17, 2026.¹

The data, scheduled for poster presentation on April 19 at AACR, focus on truncated Core 1 O-glycans recognized by the company’s investigational antibody NEO-201 and their applicability in chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy.

AML remains a challenging hematologic malignancy, particularly in relapsed or refractory settings in which treatment options are limited and long-term outcomes remain poor.² According to US estimates, the disease continues to carry a relatively low 5-year survival rate, which stresses the need for new therapeutic approaches that can selectively target leukemic cells while preserving healthy hematopoietic function.³

What makes truncated Core 1 O-glycans a potential AML target?

The findings to be presented suggest that truncated Core 1 O-glycans may represent a novel AML-associated antigen expressed across multiple disease subtypes. Importantly, these glycans appear largely absent from early hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, a distinction that could address a longstanding limitation in AML immunotherapy, which is the lack of tumor-specific targets that minimize off-target toxicity.

The company’s investigational approach leverages NEO-201, an antibody previously studied in solid tumors, to recognize these glycan structures. Preclinical data indicate that CAR-NK cells engineered with this targeting mechanism demonstrate antileukemic activity in experimental systems. While early-stage, these findings may suggest a path toward more selective cellular therapies in AML, for which antigen overlap with normal tissues has historically complicated development.⁴

“What was surprising to us was this novel target originally was discovered in solid tumors not healthy tissue, but its expression is also found in hematologic cancers,” said Philip M. Arlen, MD, president, CEO, and founder of Precision Biologics, in a company press release.¹ “This provides the basis of targeting this specific glycan when developing cellular therapies for the treatment of refractory leukemias.”

How could CAR-NK strategies influence AML treatment development?

The application of CAR-NK technology represents a broader shift within oncology toward alternative cell therapies that may offer advantages over traditional CAR T cell approaches, including potential improvements in safety, scalability, and manufacturing timelines. NK cells, as part of the innate immune system, may reduce risks such as graft-versus-host disease and cytokine release syndrome, though clinical validation remains ongoing.⁵

Within this context, the identification of new, tumor-associated antigens such as truncated Core 1 O-glycans could expand the range of viable targets for next-generation cell therapies. If further validated, this approach may support the development of therapies that more precisely distinguish between malignant and healthy cells, which is an important consideration in hematologic cancers where target specificity directly affects safety.⁴

What are the broader implications for AML immunotherapy research?

The discovery of glycan-based targets reflects a growing interest in non-protein antigens within cancer research, an area that has historically been underexplored compared to protein-based markers. Glycosylation patterns, which often change in malignant cells, may offer an additional layer of biological specificity that could be exploited for therapeutic purposes.⁶

For the biopharmaceutical industry, such findings may indicate a gradual expansion of the antigen landscape beyond conventional targets, potentially influencing both drug discovery pipelines and platform technologies. However, the transition from preclinical findings to clinical application remains a critical step, and further studies will be needed to determine the safety, durability, and efficacy of glycan-targeted CAR-NK therapies in patients.⁵

References

1. Precision Biologics, Precision Biologics to Reveal New AML Target for CAR-NK at American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting on April 19th, 2026. Published April 17, 2026. Accessed April 17, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/precision-biologics-to-reveal-new-aml-target-for-car-nk-at-american-association-for-cancer-research-aacr-annual-meeting-on-april-19th-2026-302744631.html
2. Brandwein JM, Saini L, Geddes MN, et al. Outcomes of patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia: a population-based real-world study. Am J Blood Res. 2020;10(4):124-133.
3. Cancer Stat Facts: Leukemia — Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). SEER Program. Accessed April 17, 2026. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/amyl.html
4. Knorr K, Rahman J, Erickson C, et al. Systematic evaluation of AML-associated antigens identifies anti-U5 SNRNP200 therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Nat. Cancer 2023;4:1675–1692. doi: 10.1038/s43018-023-00656-2
5. Zhang Y, Hu R, Xie X, Li Y. Expanding the frontier of CAR therapy: comparative insights into CAR-T, CAR-NK, CAR-M, and CAR-DC approaches. Ann Hematol. 2025;104(9):4305-4317. doi: 10.1007/s00277-025-06538-0
6. He M, Zhou X, Wang X. Glycosylation: mechanisms, biological functions and clinical implications. Signal Transduction Targeted Ther. 2024;9:194. doi: 10.1038/s41392-024-01886-1