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Arsenal Biosciences Cuts 50% of Workforce Despite $325M Series C Funding Round

CAR-T
  • Arsenal Biosciences, a South San Francisco-based cell therapy company, laid off approximately 100 employees representing 50% of its workforce just one year after raising $325 million in Series C funding.
  • The layoffs affect primarily scientist and researcher roles but also include director-level executives and two vice presidents, with most terminations effective November 14, 2024.
  • The company is transitioning from early-stage cancer research to clinical trials, with its lead candidate being a cell therapy focused on kidney cancer currently in clinical studies.
  • Arsenal maintains collaboration programs with Bristol Myers Squibb and represents one of the few cell therapy companies that successfully raised significant capital during the sector's prolonged downturn.

Vietnam Achieves First Successful CAR-T Cell Therapy Treatment for Pediatric Acute Leukemia

CAR-T
  • The Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City successfully treated Vietnam's first case of high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using CAR-T cell therapy in a 12-year-old patient.
  • The patient, who had experienced two relapses after chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant, remains in stable health more than a year after receiving the genetically modified T cell treatment.
  • The hospital is now developing domestic CAR-T cell production capabilities to reduce treatment costs by approximately 20 times, from tens of thousands of US dollars to under $18,964 per case.
  • This breakthrough represents the introduction of the most advanced cellular therapy technology to Vietnam, with plans to expand from city-level to national research initiatives.

Autolus Therapeutics Reports Promising Safety Profile for CAR-T Therapy in Severe Lupus Patients

CAR-T
  • Autolus Therapeutics will present updated data from the Phase I CARLYSLE study of obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel) in severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus at ACR Convergence 2025.
  • Initial findings show a manageable safety profile with no dose limiting toxicities, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, or Grade ≥2 cytokine release syndrome reported.
  • All patients demonstrated SLEDAI-2K score reduction and clinical benefit, with three patients achieving complete renal response.
  • The study represents one of the first attempts to apply CAR-T cell therapy to treat systemic lupus erythematosus, a chronic autoimmune disease with limited treatment options.

SOHM Secures South Korean Patent for CRISPR-Based Gene Editing Platform Targeting CAR-T Therapy Development

Gene EditingCAR-TPrecision Medicine
  • SOHM, Inc. received patent approval from South Korea for its ABBIE gene-editing platform that fuses dCas9 with retroviral integrases for targeted DNA integration.
  • The patent covers "CAS9 Retroviral Integrase and CAS9 Recombinase Systems" technology designed for site-specific genome incorporation in cells and organisms.
  • This Korean patent approval follows earlier European successes and strengthens SOHM's global intellectual property portfolio for next-generation allogeneic CAR-T therapies.
  • The ABBIE platform represents a first-in-class solution for precise gene integration with applications in regenerative medicine and therapeutic development.

Gyala Therapeutics Advances First-in-Class CD84-Targeting CAR-T Therapy with €3 Million Funding for AML and T-ALL Treatment

CAR-T
  • Gyala Therapeutics published preclinical results in Leukemia demonstrating strong efficacy of GYA01, a first-in-class CAR-T therapy targeting CD84 protein for acute myeloid leukemia and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
  • The therapy showed significant cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines and primary patient samples, with robust expansion from both healthy donor and patient T cells without requiring gene editing.
  • The company secured €3 million in funding from Invivo Partners, Nara Capital, and CDTI Innvierte to launch a Phase I trial in AML patients in the second half of 2025.
  • CD84 is consistently overexpressed in AML and T-ALL, including high-risk subtypes, with limited expression in healthy tissues, positioning it as a compelling pan-hematological target.

Apollo Hospitals Invests Rs 573 Crore in Advanced Proton Therapy Oncology Center in Gurugram

OncologyCAR-TPrecision Medicine
  • Apollo Hospitals announces a Rs 573 crore investment to establish a 100-bed Comprehensive Oncology Centre in Gurugram featuring the Proteus One single gantry Proton Beam Therapy system.
  • The facility will mark Apollo's third proton therapy installation in India and is expected to serve an additional 350 patients annually by FY 2029.
  • Apollo aims to double its oncology business to over Rs 5,000 crore in the next 3-4 years through advanced treatments including proton therapy, robotics, immunotherapy, and CAR-T cell therapies.
  • The company simultaneously acquired IFC's 31% stake in Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd for Rs 1,254 crore to consolidate its healthcare portfolio operations.

KFSHRC Achieves First Locally-Manufactured CAR-T Cell Treatment in Saudi Arabia

CAR-T
  • King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre successfully treated the first patient using locally-manufactured CAR-T cells as part of a Phase I clinical trial for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
  • The hospital conducted 48% of all clinical trials registered in Saudi Arabia during the first half of 2025, with 104 active trials and 80 new studies underway.
  • This milestone represents a significant advancement in gene and cell therapy capabilities in the Middle East region.
  • The achievement aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives and reinforces KFSHRC's position as a leader in pioneering healthcare research.

PPAR-gamma Pathway Modulation Enhances NECTIN4-Targeted CAR-T Therapy for Bladder Cancer

CAR-T
  • Researchers developed NECTIN4-targeting CAR-T cells that demonstrate potent and specific cytotoxic activity against bladder cancer cells, with efficacy directly correlating to NECTIN4 expression levels.
  • Pharmacological activation of the PPAR-gamma pathway using rosiglitazone significantly upregulates NECTIN4 expression on tumor cells, enhancing CAR-T cell recognition and killing efficacy.
  • The combination strategy shows promise for overcoming enfortumab vedotin resistance, as NECTIN4-CAR-T cells retain anti-tumor activity against resistant cell lines while maintaining NECTIN4 expression.
  • Preclinical studies demonstrate that short-term rosiglitazone treatment combined with NECTIN4-CAR-T therapy improves tumor growth inhibition without increasing toxicity in multiple xenograft models.

Kytopen and BlueWhale Bio Partner to Accelerate Non-Viral Cell Therapy Manufacturing

CAR-T
  • Kytopen and BlueWhale Bio have formed a collaboration to develop a non-viral manufacturing workflow that addresses current bottlenecks in cell therapy production.
  • The partnership combines BlueWhale Bio's Synecta cell-derived nanoparticles technology with Kytopen's Flowfect continuous flow system to enable rapid processing of billions of engineered cells.
  • Current CAR-T therapies face significant challenges including 3-5 week vein-to-vein times, high costs, and safety risks that limit global adoption.
  • Both technologies are already being utilized in clinical settings, with Synecta CDNPs in Phase I trials and Flowfect supporting multiple therapies advancing toward IND submission.

Immix Biopharma Secures Strategic Investment from Goose Capital for AL Amyloidosis CAR-T Therapy

CAR-T
  • Immix Biopharma received strategic investment from Goose Capital, led by former Tanox CEO Dr. Nancy T. Chang, who previously developed FDA-approved drugs generating over $5 billion in sales.
  • The investment supports commercialization of NXC-201, a BCMA-targeted CAR-T therapy for relapsed/refractory AL Amyloidosis that met its primary endpoint in the NEXICART-2 trial.
  • NXC-201 has received FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation and Orphan Drug Designation from both FDA and EMA.
  • The therapy features a "digital filter" technology designed to reduce non-specific activation in CAR-T cell treatment.

Study of NXC-201 CAR-T in Patients With Light Chain (AL) Amyloidosis

NCT06097832RecruitingPhase 1
Nexcella Inc.
Posted 6/5/2024

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