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Marker Therapeutics Announces Sustained Complete Response in First Lymphoma Patient Treated with MT-601 following CAR T Relapse
Study participant with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma who relapsed after anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy tolerated initial dose level well and remains in complete
About this update from Marker Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Study participant with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma who relapsed after anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy tolerated initial dose level well and remains in complete response six months after MT-601 treatment\nHOUSTON, Dec. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRKR), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focusing on developing next-generation T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumor indications, today reported a clinical update on the APOLLO study. The Phase 1 APOLLO study is investigating MT-601, a multi-tumor associated antigen (multiTAA)-specific T cell product, for the treatment of patients with lymphoma who have failed or are ineligible to receive anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy. The Company previously reported first enrollment in the dose escalation stage of the Phase 1 trial (Press Release, June 12, 2023). The patient had diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and failed four prior lines of therapy, including anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy. Marker reported in September that the study participant tolerated the treatment well without treatment-related adverse events and achieved a complete metabolic response eight weeks after the second infusion of MT-601 (Press Release, September 11, 2023). Marker reports today that six months following the initial treatment with MT-601 the study participant has maintained complete response to treatment. These clinical results are reinforced by non-clinical proof-of-concept data demonstrating that MT-601 has the potential to eradicate lymphoma cells resistant to anti-CD19 CAR T cells, highlighting the therapeutic potential of MT-601 in vitro (Press Release, May 31, 2023). Although CD19-targeting CAR T cell therapies have gained acceptance as treatment for patients with lymphoma, up to 60% of patients treated with CAR T therapies relapse within one year (Chong EA et al, N Engl J Med, 2021). This APOLLO study participant relapsed within 90 days after CAR T cell therapy, yet maintained a complete response for at least six months after treatment with MT-601, suggesting that MT-601 is more durable compared to CAR T cells in this study participant. CAR T cell therapies, which have known severe side effects such as neurotoxicity, are also currently being investigated by the FDA for the risk of potential induction of secondary cancers (...