Chimeric Therapeutics initiates second dose cohort in chlorotoxin CAR T cell phase 1 trial

Chimeric Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:CHM) has initiated the treatment of the first patient in the second dose cohort in City of Hope’s Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the safety and tolerability of its chlorotoxin CAR T (CLTX CAR T) cell therapy. 

The treatment of the first patient in the second dose cohort marks the introduction of dual routes of administration of CLTX CAR T cells with both intracranial intratumoral (ICT) and intracranial intraventricular (ICV) dosing. 

“Significant milestone”

Chimeric Therapeutics chief operating officer Jennifer Chow said: “We are very encouraged by the continued progress of the trial, moving to this important next phase with dose escalation and dual routes of administration.

“This is another significant milestone in the development of this important therapy for patients with progressive or recurrent glioblastoma.”

Progressive or recurrent glioblastoma

The second dose cohort will receive a total target dose of 88 × 106 CLTX CAR T cells.

City of Hope’s Phase 1 clinical trial is expected to enrol 18 to 36 patients with MMP2+ progressive or recurrent glioblastoma over a 24- month period.

CLTX CAR T therapy

CLTX CAR T cell therapy is a potentially best-in-class CAR T cell therapy that has the potential to address the high unmet medical need of patients with recurrent/progressive glioblastoma (GBM).

Research to develop the intellectual property covering this CAR T cell therapy took place at City of Hope.

CLTX CAR T cell therapy uniquely utilises CLTX, a peptide derived from scorpion toxin, as the tumour-targeting component of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR).

CLTX has been shown in preclinical models to bind more broadly and specifically to GBM cells than other targets like EGFR, HER2 or IL13Rα2. In preclinical models,

CLTX CAR T cells also demonstrated potent antitumor activity against GBM while not exhibiting any off-tumour recognition of normal human cells and tissues, indicating a potentially optimal safety and efficacy profile.

Story by ProactiveInvestors