Immatics N.V.  announced that its IMA203 TCR-T program has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) in multiple relapsed and/or refractory HLA-A*02:01-positive and PRAME-expressing cancers, including cutaneous melanoma, uveal melanoma, endometrial carcinoma, synovial sarcoma, and ovarian cancer. IMA203 is a TCR-T cell therapy targeting PRAME, a protein frequently expressed in a large variety of solid tumors. Established under the 21st Century Cures Act, RMAT designation is a dedicated program designed to expedite the development and review processes for promising pipeline products, including cell therapies, that includes all the benefits of Fast Track and Breakthrough designation programs. An investigational cell therapy is eligible for RMAT designation if it meets the definition of regenerative medicine therapy, it is intended to treat, modify, reverse, or cure a serious or life-threatening disease; and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the therapy has the potential to address unmet medical needs for that disease.

Advantages of the RMAT designation include early interactions with the FDA that may be used to discuss potential surrogate or intermediate endpoints for accelerated approval and potential ways to satisfy post-approval requirements, potential priority review of the biologics license application (BLA) and other opportunities to expedite development and review. Based on publicly available information1, it is the Company?s understanding that this is the first time that FDA has granted a RMAT designation for an oncology drug candidate for more than two solid tumor indications. As of Sep 30, 2023, the U.S. FDA has received at least 238 requests for RMAT designations and granted 92.