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Allogene Therapeutics and SpringWorks Therapeutics Announce Dosing of First Patient in Phase 1 Study Evaluating ALLO-715 in Combination with Nirogacestat in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and STAMFORD, Conn., April 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology
About this update from Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and STAMFORD, Conn., April 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell (AlloCAR T™) therapies for cancer, and SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SWTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing life-changing medicines for patients with severe rare diseases and cancer, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1 trial evaluating ALLO-715, Allogene’s investigational anti-B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) AlloCAR T therapy, in combination with nirogacestat, SpringWorks’ investigational gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI), in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. “We are pleased to have initiated this portion of the UNIVERSAL trial and look forward to investigating ALLO-715 in combination with nirogacestat as part of our comprehensive anti-BCMA strategy aimed at bringing an off-the-shelf cell therapy to patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma,” said David Chang, M.D., Ph.D., President, CEO and Co-Founder of Allogene Therapeutics. Gamma secretase inhibition prevents the cleavage and shedding of BCMA from the surface of multiple myeloma cells. In preclinical models, nirogacestat has been shown to increase the cell surface density of BCMA and reduce levels of soluble BCMA, which may enhance the activity of BCMA-targeted therapies.1 In addition, emerging clinical data suggest that a GSI may increase antitumor efficacy of BCMA-targeted autologous CAR T therapy in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.2,3 “Multiple myeloma is incurable for the overwhelming majority of patients diagnosed with this cancer and those who have relapsed or are refractory to current treatments have very limited therapeutic options available to them,” said Saqib Islam, Chief Executive Officer of SpringWorks Therapeutics. “SpringWorks is advancing nirogacestat as a cornerstone of BCMA combination therapy across modalities, with the goal of potentiating BCMA therapies to provide better outcomes for patients. This study represents the first clinical trial combining nirogacestat with a CAR T therapy and we are delighted that the milestone of dosing the first patient has been achieved.” The Phase 1 trial (NCT...