In the cancer space, more innovations than ever before are showing the potential to forever alter the course of cancer detection, prevention, and treatment.
Perhaps the most impressive game changer taking place in the entire cancer world this year and the last several years is in blood cancers (lymphoma, Leukemia, etc). For example, CD19 chimeric antigen receptor, better known as CAR T cell therapy, has done nothing less than revolutionize the treatment landscape of B cell lymphoma.
By genetically altering patients’ T cells in the lab, scientists can program the immune cells to seek and destroy cancer cells with the CD19 antigen. However, a significant number of patients with aggressive B cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma or follicular lymphoma still relapse or don’t respond after CAR T cell therapy.
Dr. Elizabeth Budde at City of Hope presented vital CAR T research at the annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) Conference earlier this month in San Diego. It was a Phase 1 clinical trial but the results were very encouraging. In an exciting reversal, all three patients had a complete response rate.
While each patient developed low-grade side effects, these resolved safely with time or medication. No dose-limiting toxicities were seen. The study, sponsored by PeproMene Bio Inc., is now enrolling patients in its next cohort.
“We were delighted to see complete remission of B cell lymphoma with this approach,” said Budde in an interview with Breaking Cancer News.
Budde added, “Each of our three patients’ cancers had not benefited from several previous lines of treatment. We hope BAFFR-CAR T therapy offers a promising new option for lymphoma patients struggling with relapse or progression.”
But there are many, many more game changers in the cancer universe, which we’ll share with you in our next two issues.
Here are just a few of them.
FDA Fast-Track Designation to OBX-115
Vorasidenib for Brain Cancer Treatment
