Bioheng Therapeutics announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for CTD402, marking a significant advancement in universal CAR-T cell therapy development. The therapy is designed to treat both pediatric and adult patients with relapsed/refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (R/R T-ALL/LBL).
The approved clinical trial will follow a single-arm, open-label Phase Ib/II design with simplified dose-finding parameters, strategically structured to expedite the development process while optimizing dosing protocols.
Innovative Platform Technology
CTD402 represents a breakthrough in allogeneic CAR-T therapy, targeting CD7 through Bioheng's proprietary ANSWER® platform. The therapy utilizes cells from healthy donors and incorporates multiple genetic modifications to prevent common complications associated with CAR-T treatment.
"Initial investigator-initiated trial results have shown an impressive overall response rate with a favorable safety profile," noted Dr. Jiangtao Ren, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Bioheng. "These outcomes validate our ANSWER® platform's capability to deliver both rapid therapeutic impact and reduced patient risk, positioning CTD402 as a potential best-in-class therapy for T-cell malignancies."
Advanced Treatment Design
The therapy's genetic modifications address three critical challenges in CAR-T cell treatment:
- Prevention of fratricide
- Elimination of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) risk
- Reduction of host-versus-graft rejection (HvG)
A key advantage of CTD402 is its "off-the-shelf" capability, allowing a single batch production to treat multiple patients, potentially reducing manufacturing time and improving accessibility for urgent cases.
Addressing Critical Unmet Needs
T-ALL/LBL represents a significant therapeutic challenge in oncology. While initial treatments can achieve high complete remission rates, most patients eventually relapse. The current prognosis for relapsed or refractory disease remains poor, with five-year overall survival rates below 20%.
The development of CTD402 addresses this critical unmet need, potentially offering a more accessible and effective treatment option for patients who have exhausted conventional therapies. The therapy's universal donor approach could significantly reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment, a crucial factor in managing aggressive T-cell malignancies.
