Challenges of Cell Therapy in Solid Tumors: Julian Molina, MD, PhD

“It's important to go to sites of reference - places that are more familiar with [cell therapies] and the kind of toxicities that may occur, so the patient has the best outcome. But, our goal for the future is that these therapies that can be given even in small towns and are available everywhere.”

Mesothelin (MSLN) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-targeted Tmod chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies may hold promise in treating solid tumors, according to ositive preclinical feasibility data presented at the 36th Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), November 10-14, 2021.¹

To further explore the potential of these therapies, the observational BASECAMP-1 study (NCT04981119), data on which were also presented at SITC 2021, is identifying patients with relapsed solid tumors with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loss of heterozygosity (LOH) as future recipients of Tmod cell therapy.² HLA LOH is present in approximately 13% of all solid tumors and up to 33% of pancreatic cancers. The study is also assessing leukapheresis and manufacturing feasibility for future Tmod therapies.

GeneTherapyLive spoke with Molina to learn more about the challenges of cell therapy and immunotherapy in the solid tumor setting and how Tmod cell therapies may address these challenges.

REFERENCES

1. A2 Bio to Highlight Program Updates in Two Presentations at SITC 2021. News release. A2 Bio Therapeutics. November 1, 2021. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211101005077/en/A2-Bio-to-Highlight-Program-Updates-in-Two-Presentations-at-SITC-2021
2. Molina J, Go W, Kopetz S, et al. BASECAMP-1: an observational study to identify relapsed solid tumor patients with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and leukapheresis for future CAR T-cell therapy. Presented at: 2021 SITC Annual Meeting; November 10-14, 2021; Washington, DC. Abstract 491.