Medigene AG has provided a pipeline update in its half-year report for the first half of 2024. The company, which develops T cell receptor (TCR)-guided therapies for the treatment of cancer, confirmed for following positive EU and U.S. preliminary regulatory interactions, is on track for filing an IND in Q3 and a CTA in Q4 of 2024 for its lead candidate MDG-1015.

Precision Biosciences Inc. has announced that its experimental allogeneic T cell therapy azercabtagene zapreleucel (azer-cel) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) has received IND clearance from the FDA.

CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. has received clearance from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to conduct clinical trials in China with its BCMA-targeting CAR T cell SYS-6020 for systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) in China.

Tr1x Inc. has announced that the FDA has cleared its IND application for its engineered Tr1 Treg cell therapy TRX-103 for treatment-refractory Crohn’s disease.

Shinobi Therapeutics Inc. has been awarded non-dilutive grant funding of up to $59 million by the Japanese Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

Cellular immunotherapy is the Lamine Yamal of cancer therapy. It is easy to forget how young the field is – and that as stunning as it is to watch in action already, it is still reaching its full potential. One aspect of doing so is working in a broader range of tumor types. The field made a giant step toward that goal with last week’s approval of Tecelra (afamitresgene autoleucel, Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc), the first CAR T cell to be approved for treatment of a solid tumor.

To be successful, CAR T-cells need a balance between being effective and overkill. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Vittoria Biotherapeutics Inc. have eliminated the CD5 signaling pathway of their CAR Ts to prevent the immunosuppressive brake effect. In return, this improved their proliferation and antitumor activity in T cell lymphomas.

Umoja Biopharma Inc. has received clearance from the FDA to begin a first-in-human trial of its CAR T product UB-VV111. The company expects to dose the first patient by the end of 2024.

Astellas Pharma Inc.’s subsidiaries Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine (AIRM) and Universal Cells Inc. have entered into a research collaboration with Osaka University to develop a pluripotent stem cell-derived cartilage organoid cell therapy for the treatment of intervertebral disc degenerative disease.

Artiva Biotherapeutics Inc. raised $167 million through an upsized IPO, with funds aimed at the development of its lead AlloNK program for systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune indications. Just a few days ago, the San Diego based company had aimed to sell 8.4 million shares between $14 and $16 each, but it raised the number of shares offered to 13.92 million and lowered the price to $12 each. The upsize brings Artiva’s shares outstanding following the IPO to about 22.8 million, giving the company a market cap of $273.6 million based on the IPO price.