Atara Biotherapeutics' Ebvallo Nears EU Approval for Transplant Complication Therapy

Atara Biotherapeutics' Ebvallo Nears EU Approval for Transplant Complication Therapy

Atara Biotherapeutics has reached a significant milestone with its cell therapy, Ebvallo (tabelecleucel), as the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) human medicines committee (CHMP) recommends its approval for treating Epstein-Barr virus-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV+ PTLD). This condition is a life-threatening complication that can arise in organ or bone marrow transplant patients due to the reactivation of latent EBV infections, often leading to cancerous lesions.

Clinical Trial Success

The phase 3 ALLELE study demonstrated Ebvallo's efficacy, with a 50% overall response rate in patients suffering from EBV PTLD post-transplant. Notably, the one-year survival rate for patients responding to Ebvallo was 89%, a stark contrast to the 32% survival rate among non-responders. These results underscore the potential of Ebvallo to significantly alter the treatment landscape for patients with EBV+ PTLD, who currently face a grim prognosis with median survival times ranging from weeks to a few months.

A New Hope for Transplant Patients

Ebvallo represents a novel approach by utilizing allogeneic T-cells from unrelated donors, engineered to target and eliminate EBV-infected B cells. This mechanism offers a promising alternative to current treatments, which primarily involve reducing immunosuppressive therapy to allow the patient's immune system to combat the EBV infection, albeit with the risk of transplant rejection.

Looking Ahead

With the CHMP's positive opinion, Ebvallo is poised for EU approval by the end of the year, marking a historic moment as the first allogeneic T-cell therapy to receive such endorsement globally. The therapy will be marketed by Pierre Fabre, following a licensing agreement that includes a $30 million milestone payment to Atara upon EU approval.

This development not only highlights the potential of Ebvallo to improve outcomes for transplant patients with EBV+ PTLD but also signifies a significant advancement in the field of cell therapy, offering new hope to patients facing this challenging condition.