Mesothelin (MSLN) glycoprotein is overexpressed in many solid tumors and is considered a relevant target for antigen-specific therapies. In fact, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy against MSLN has shown promising results in preclinical models, as well as safety in a phase I trial.
Researchers from Caribou Biosciences Inc. presented preclinical data for the novel BCMA-specific allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy candidate, CB-011, being developed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. A genome editing strategy was implemented in the production of CB-011 to blunt CAR T-cell rejection by both patient T cells and natural killer (NK) cells.
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies and mRNA-based vaccines represent two of the most significant new modalities to gain regulatory approval in the past decade. Capstan Therapeutics Inc. has emerged from stealth with bold ambitions to combine these two approaches in mRNA-programmed cell therapies that will be generated in vivo from patients’ endogenous cells. It has so far secured $165 million in equity funding to pursue that vision.
It’s been five years since the first CAR T-cell therapy was approved, marking the beginning of a new era in cancer therapy, but it’s been a huge effort from pharma to turn them into commercial therapies. David Sourdive, co-founder and vice president for CMC and manufacturing at gene and cell therapy specialist Cellectis SA, is one of many in the field of advanced therapies who argue that CAR T cells are just the vanguard from a new army of cell therapies that could prove decisive in the war against cancer.
Reports of two patient deaths prompted Celyad Oncology SA to voluntarily pause a phase Ib trial testing its allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy, CYAD-101, in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab, Merck & Co. Inc.) in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), the latest safety hitch among efforts to advance the promise of CAR T beyond the first approvals in hematological malignancies.
LONDON – “I really believe we can start using the word cure,” said the pioneer of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy Carl June, as he revealed two leukemia patients he treated in a phase I trial have now been in remission for 10 years. Both patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia achieved complete remission shortly after treatment in 2010. The genetic modification has remained detectable in their CAR T cells for more than 10 years of follow-up, June said, describing details of the case studies published in Nature Feb. 2.
LONDON – “I really believe we can start using the word cure,” said the pioneer of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy Carl June, as he revealed two leukemia patients he treated in a phase I trial have now been in remission for 10 years. Both patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia achieved complete remission shortly after treatment in 2010. The genetic modification has remained detectable in their CAR T cells for more than 10 years of follow-up, June said, describing details of the case studies published in Nature Feb. 2.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. launched a new cell therapy processing system that overcomes many of the hurdles that have kept promising cell therapies from reaching commercialization. The modular, closed system increases cell processing efficiency and reduces associated costs.
LONDON – Neogene Therapeutics BV has raised $110 million in a series A round to advance development of a novel T-cell immunotherapy for treating solid tumors.
In the Marvel Comic Universe, Venom is a superhero who started life as a supervillain and Spiderman foe. In the biopharma universe, scorpion venom is undergoing the same fate transformation, as separate papers this week reported new ways to use scorpion venom in two major therapeutic targeting challenges.