On July 5, 2019 Celyad (Euronext Brussels and Paris, and Nasdaq: CYAD), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of CAR-T cell therapies, reported that Professor Dr. Eric Van Cutsem from the University Hospital of Leuven (Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven, UZ Leuven) presented preliminary interim data from the ongoing SHRINK and alloSHRINK Phase 1 trials assessing safety and clinical activity of the NKG2D-based CAR-T therapies CYAD-01 (autologous) and CYAD-101 (allogeneic) for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 21st World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer (WCGIC) (Press release, Celyad, JUL 5, 2019, View Source [SID1234537394]). Following the oral and poster presentations at WCGIC, Celyad’s management team will host a conference call to discuss the initial clinical results from the SHRINK and alloSHRINK trials.
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"We are encouraged by these initial results showing increased levels of cell engraftment of the non-gene edited allogeneic CAR-T candidate CYAD-101, and that following treatment with CYAD-101 we did not observe any evidence of graft versus host disease, our foremost concern with the allogeneic therapy" commented Professor Dr. Eric Van Cutsem, Gastrointestinal Oncologist at the University Hospital of Leuven. "In addition, anti-tumor activity has been observed with both the autologous CYAD-01 and allogeneic CYAD-101 candidates, in heavily pre-treated metastatic colorectal cancer patients who have received prior FOLFOX chemotherapy, providing confidence into this potential combination approach of CAR-T therapy with standard-of-care chemotherapy."
Press Release
5 July 2019
9:21 a.m. CEDT
Dr. Frédéric Lehmann, VP of Clinical Development & Medical Affairs at Celyad, commented "We are excited to share data on the first-in-class non-gene edited allogeneic CAR-T therapy CYAD-101 in metastatic colorectal cancer at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) GI in Barcelona. Professor Dr Van Cutsem gave us the great honor to share compelling clinical data for this novel class of NKG2D-based CAR-T therapies and the ability of the company’s novel T cell receptor Inhibiting Molecule, TIM, to reduce signalling of the TCR complex".
SHRINK Phase 1 Trial Update
To date, nine mCRC patients (three in each dose level (DL): DL-1: 1×108 cells, DL-2: 3×108 cells and DL-3: 1×109 cells) have been enrolled as part of the dose-escalation, SHRINK Phase 1 trial evaluating CYAD-01 administered concurrently with FOLFOX chemotherapy. Patient enrollment included four neoadjuvant first-line treatment CRC patients with resectable liver metastasis (no prior FOLFOX treatment) and five non-resectable mCRC patients with prior multiple chemotherapy lines including FOLFOX and/or FOLFIRI chemotherapy. The mean number of prior therapies received for the relapsed/refractory mCRC patients enrolled was three
Treatment with CYAD-01 with standard FOLFOX chemotherapy was generally well-tolerated, with no reports of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) grade 2 or higher, related serious adverse events (SAEs), dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), nor on-target off-tumor toxicity
Preliminary data show a dose–dependent effect on the kinetics of cells with higher levels of cell engraftment at higher doses of CYAD-01 doses
Of the nine mCRC patients, one neoadjuvant patient experienced a partial response (PR) according to RECIST 1.1 criteria and a total of six patients experienced stable disease (SD) at month 3 including two neoadjuvant and four relapsed/refractory mCRC patients
alloSHRINK Phase 1 Trial Update
To date, a total of six patients with relapsed/refractory mCRC have been enrolled in the two first dose-levels (three each at DL-1 (1×108 cells) and DL-2 (3×108 cells)) of the alloSHRINK trial evaluating CYAD-101 administered concurrently with FOLFOX chemotherapy. The mean number of prior therapies received for the patients enrolled was four
No clinical evidence of Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) have been observed. These initial data support the ability of the company’s novel inhibitory peptide TIM (T cell receptor (TCR) Inhibiting Molecule) to reduce signaling of the TCR complex
Host-versus-Graft (HvG) response against the allogeneic CYAD-101 cells appears to be controlled as evidenced by similar levels of CYAD-101 cell engraftment following the second and third infusions of the allogeneic cell therapy
At the dose levels evaluated, the treatment with CYAD-101 in association with FOLFOX chemotherapy was well-tolerated, with no reports of CRS, related SAEs, DLTs, nor on-target off-tumor toxicity
Encouraging anti-tumor activity was observed in one patient experiencing a partial response (PR) and three patients experiencing stable disease (SD) at month 3
5 July 2019
9:21 a.m. CEDT
CYAD-101 appears to provide better relative cell engraftment as compared to CYAD-01, at the same dose levels
Recruitment in DL-3 (1×109 cells) of the alloSHRINK trial is ongoing and preliminary results from the cohort are expected by year-end 2019
THINK CyFlu Phase 1 Cohort Update
Three mCRC patients were enrolled in the THINK CyFlu cohort of the Phase 1 THINK trial and received a single injection of 300 million cells of CYAD-01 following preconditioning chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine, or CyFlu
Treatment with CYAD-01 following CyFlu was well tolerated with no reports of CRS grade 2 or higher, related SAEs, DLTs, nor on-target off-tumor toxicity
Translational data from the cohort also suggest an improvement in cell engraftment of CYAD-01 induced by the CyFlu preconditioning as compared to the same dose of CYAD-01 without preconditioning chemotherapy
Of the three patients enrolled, one patient achieved stable disease (SD), while two patients experienced disease progression
Conference Call / Webcast Details
A conference call including a Q&A session will be held by the Company on Friday July 5, 2019 at 2:00 pm CEDT / 8:00 am EDT.
The conference call can be accessed using the details below:
United States: +1 877 407 9208
International: +1 201 493 6784
Conference ID: 13692101
Alternatively, participants may also access an audio webcast of the event using the link below: View Source
Background on CYAD-01 and CYAD-101
CYAD-01 is an investigational CAR-T therapy in which a patient’s T cells are engineered to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) based on NKG2D, a receptor expressed on natural killer (NK) cells that binds to eight stress-induced ligands expressed on tumor cells. CYAD-101 is an investigational, non-gene edited, allogeneic (healthy donor derived) CAR-T therapy that co-expresses the NKG2D CAR of CYAD-01 and the novel inhibitory peptide TIM. The expression of TIM reduces signalling of the TCR complex, which is responsible for GvHD.
Press Release
5 July 2019
9:21 a.m. CEDT
Background on SHRINK and alloSHRINK Trials
SHRINK is an open-label, dose-escalation Phase 1 trial assessing the safety and activity of CYAD-01 administered concurrently with FOLFOX chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients will receive six cycles of FOLFOX (combination of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy every two weeks and three administrations of CYAD-01 every two weeks.
alloSHRINK is an open-label, dose-escalation Phase 1 trial assessing the safety and clinical activity of CYAD-101 administered concurrently with FOLFOX chemotherapy in patients with unresectable mCRC. Similar to the SHRINK trial for CYAD-01, patients will receive six cycles of FOLFOX chemotherapy every two weeks and three administrations of CYAD-101 every two weeks.
Background on THINK CyFlu Cohort
In February 2018, the THINK trial was amended to include a cohort known as THINK CyFlu. The cohort evaluated a single injection of CYAD-01 following treatment with the standard preconditioning regimen of cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m²) and fludarabine (30 mg/m²), or CyFlu.