Biotech Strategy Blog

Commentary on Science, Innovation & New Products with a focus on Oncology, Hematology & Immunotherapy

Posts tagged ‘Cell Therapy EBV-CTL’

Even the cars stand out in San Diego

After writing of some trials and tribulations in solid tumours earlier this week (see review of the Janux TRACTR here), it was rather nice to return to my old stamping ground of hematologic malignancies and feel soothed by both the familiar and also incoming novel approaches for a variety of different conditions.

It is exactly twenty five years since the initial phase 1 data for STI-571 (now known as imatinib or Gleevec) were first presented in an ASH Plenary.  31 out of 31 advanced CML patients responded and Dr Brian Druker received an outstanding ovation at the end of his presentation.  It was the kind of stuff that gave you goosebumps – despite the freezing cold hangar.

This is the kind of thing hematologists and companies alike live for; it’s what gets you jumping out of bed in the morning to help make a difference to the lives of cancer patients.

At ASH this year there are some encouraging data on early stage trials coming out in several hematologic malignancies, which kept me occupied and fascinated for most of the first day of the meeting.  There’ll be another detailed write up of one of these areas tomorrow morning, while a different condition offered a raft of choices across single agent therapy and combinations alike.

Here we highlight what to watch out for – both positive and negative – on five agents with encouraging early data, which caught out attention yesterday.  They include bispecific T cell engagers and cell therapies – what’s not to like?

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Here’s something interesting and heart warming to reflect on at the end of a long week:

“Cellular therapy of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)+ posttransplantation lymphoproliferative diseases (PTLD) in cord blood transplant (CBT) recipients is limited by lack of donor access and the donor’s naive neonatal immune system. We therefore used partially human leukocyte antigen–matched third-party in vitro expanded EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to treat 2 CBT recipients with life-threatening, donor-derived monoclonal EBV+ diffuse large B-cell lymphomas with extranodal involvement developing in the context of graft-versus-host disease. Both patients had failed immunosuppression taper and rituximab. After 5 and 9 infusions of 106 EBV-CTL/kg, respectively, each patient achieved a sustained complete remission without toxicity or graft-versus-host disease. Each is alive without recurrence at 20 and 15 months, respectively, post–EBV-PTLD diagnosis.”

Barker et al., (2010) Blood

Viral reactivation post-transplant is potentially life threatening, yet here is a fascinating case study where two young patients were treated effectively and are still alive today.

Atara Biotherapeutics $ATRA announced yesterday (press release) that data from their collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering on cytotoxic T lymphocytes against Epstein Barr Virus (EBV-CTL) will be presented at the forthcoming AACR annual meeting. Readers will recall the therapy obtained FDA Breakthrough Designation earlier this month.

So what’s the real story behind this novel approach and how can T cells be used in ever more creative ways? Is there a market opportunity and who are the key players in this space?

Be warned this is a long read, and took us a while to put together. It contains insights from two thought leaders as well as our commentary and analysis. Grab yourself a cup of coffee……

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