Business
POLB 001 to feature in CRS research programme
Poolbeg Pharma plc announced that its POLB 001 TOPICAL trial will be part of the RISE research program, focused on cancer immunotherapy-induced cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a significant bottleneck for advanced cancer treatments. Poolbeg will serve as the lead business partner alongside Johnson & Johnson and others in this initiative, which is supported by a £3.4 million Medical Research Council grant. The program will not affect the delivery of data from the POLB 001 clinical trial, expected in summer 2026, and will not impact the company's cash runway into 2027. Disclaimer*
About this update from Poolbeg Pharma Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n \nPoolbeg Pharma plc\n \nPOLB 001 trial to feature in groundbreaking cancer immunotherapy-induced CRS research programme\n \nRISE programme led by The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and funded in part by MRC grant\n \nPoolbeg will act as the lead business partner alongside Johnson & Johnson and other partners\n \n8 December 2025 - Poolbeg Pharma (AIM: POLB, 'Poolbeg' or the 'Company'), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a core focus on transforming the cancer immunotherapy field, announces that the POLB 001 TOPICAL trial is to feature in a groundbreaking cancer immunotherapy-induced cytokine release syndrome (\"CRS\") research programme.\n \nPoolbeg will act as the lead business partner, alongside Johnson & Johnson and other partners, on The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust research programme supported by a £3.4 million Prosperity Partnership grant from the Medical Research Council (\"MRC\"). The programme, titled RISE (Reducing Immune Stress from Excess cytokine release in advanced therapies), will facilitate wider research into cancer immunotherapy-induced CRS and the safer delivery of these treatments.\n \nCentral to the RISE programme will be the previously announced POLB 001 TOPICAL trial, for which Johnson & Johnson will provide the approved bispecific antibody, teclistamab. RISE will not impact the delivery of data from the POLB 001 clinical trial, anticipated in summer 2026. Poolbeg's participation in this programme will not impact the Company's cash runway into 2027.\n \nThe programme includes the collection of clinical data from patients treated with bispecific antibodies and CAR T-cell therapies and will involve additional research beyond the TOPICAL trial into the potential of POLB 001 to prevent cancer immunotherapy-induced CRS. The programme reflects the growing recognition of the unmet medical need in the management of CRS and other serious adverse effects, which is a significant bottleneck to the broader availability and uptake of these breakthrough cancer immunotherapies.\n \nThe RISE programme will be under the leadership of Dr Jonathan Lim, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist in Advanced Immunotherapy and Cell Therapy and condu...