Selecting Targets in Hematologic Malignancies

"PRAME is 1 target antigen out of a number of different target antigens we’ve developed in order to have really good receptors for different indications. We have some quite interestingdimension, because we're looking at sequencesin the dark matter of the genome. So, not standard protein coding sequences, but rather peptide snippets that occur because of aberrant gene expression in tumor cells. These peptides appear to be unique to tumor cells.”

Medigene is developing MDG1011, a T cell receptor-modified (TCR-T) therapy, which has demonstrated positive safety, tolerability, and feasibility data in patients with blood cancers. The therapy is being evaluatedin a phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT03503968). Exploratory efficacy and biologic activity data from the trial is expected in the first quarter of 2022.

The study evaluated the PRAME-directed MDG1011 in heavily pretreated patients with acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome or multiple myeloma. All patients experienced adverse events (AEs), which included grade 1-2 transient cytokine release syndrome (n = 2). No immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome or dose-limiting toxicities were reported.

GeneTherapyLive spoke with Dolores Schendel, PhD, chief executive and chief scientific officer, Medigene, to learn more about MDG1011 and the positive data observed so far. She also discussed future research and targets the company may pursue.

REFERENCE

Medigene achieves positive preliminary results in phase I of phase I/II trial Of TCR-T therapy MDG1011 in blood cancers. News release. Medigene. December 21, 2021. https://www.medigene.com/investors-media/press-releases/detail/medigene-achieves-positive-preliminary-results-in-phase-i-of-phase-i-ii-trial-of-tcr-t-therapy-mdg1011-in-blood-cancers-1