Category: DNA RNA and Cells
Published on Saturday, 07 January 2023 18:23
- First patient dosed with CK0804 Treg cells as an add on therapy to ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis who experience a suboptimal response to ruxolitinib.
- On-going Phase 1b study evaluating safety of CK0804
HOUSTON, TX, USA I January 06, 2023 I Cellenkos Inc, a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of allogeneic, off-the-shelf, T regulatory cell therapies targeting inflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases, today announced that the first patient was dosed in the Phase 1b LIMBER-TREG108 study evaluating CK0804 as an add on therapy to ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis who experience a suboptimal response to ruxolitinib. CK0804 is a novel allogeneic, CXCR4 enriched, T regulatory cell therapy product that utilizes Cellenkos’ proprietary CRANE™ technology to generate disease specific products.
The LIMBER-TREG108 trial (NCT05423691) is part of a development collaboration between Cellenkos and Incyte.
“This is an exciting milestone for our company. The initiation of this study of CK0804 as on add on therapy to ruxolitinib is an important achievement that brings us closer to delivering a potential new treatment which may have a life-changing impact for myelofibrosis patients who have less than optimal response to treatment with ruxolitinib,” said Tara Sadeghi, Chief Operating Officer of Cellenkos Inc., “Myelofibrosis patients who do not respond to ruxolitinib have limited treatment options and can progress to leukemia. This experimental immunotherapy treatment in combination with the standard of care may represent a new hope for the patients with myelofibrosis potentially enhancing the efficacy of current JAK inhibitor therapy while also offering possible immune modulation and restoration of impacted hematopoiesis.”
LIMBER-TREG108 is a multicenter study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Columbia Hospital and University of California, Davis. The study is led by principal investigator Lucia Masarova, M.D., Assistant Professor of Leukemia at MD Anderson. This Phase 1b study will evaluate the safety, pharmacodynamics and immunogenicity of intravenous CK0804, administered monthly for up to 6 doses. The study will consist of 2 phases: an open-label safety run-in of 9 patients (Stage 1) and an expansion cohort of 15 additional patients (Stage 2).
“We are pleased that the first patient first dose milestone in the LIMBER-TREG108 study – one of several studies in our LIMBER clinical program evaluating multiple monotherapy and combination strategies to improve and expand treatments for patients with MPNs – has been achieved. We look forward to the results of the study, and to continuing our partnership toward important scientific advances for these patients,” said Ekaterine Asatiani, M.D., Division Vice President and Head of Early Development at Incyte.
About Myelofibrosis
Myelofibrosis is a rare, chronic and progressive blood cancer that is part of a group of diseases known as myeloproliferative neoplasms. In myelofibrosis, scar tissue forms in the bone marrow and impairs its ability to produce normal blood cells. This can result in an enlarged spleen, as well as symptoms such as fatigue, itching and night sweats, which can severely impact a patient’s quality of life. About 16,000 to 18,500 people in the U.S. are living with myelofibrosis1. Patients who have had a suboptimal response to the standard of care treatment have limited options and a poor prognosis.
About CK0804
CK0804 is a novel allogenic cell therapy product consisting of T-regulatory cells that exploit the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis and are derived from clinical-grade umbilical cord blood units and manufactured using Cellenkos’ proprietary CRANE™ process. Multiple doses of CK0804 can be manufactured from a single umbilical cord blood unit, where the final cryopreserved product is readily available for use. No requirement for HLA matching to the patients makes CK0804 an ideal therapy that can be infused intravenously, in the outpatient setting.