A new treatment for one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancers is set to be tested on people for the first time.
Brisbane biotechnology company Cyteph, a spin-out of QIMR Berghofer, has completed recruitment for its first-in-human Phase I clinical trial of CYT-101.
Cypeth Chief Scientific Officer and Founder Professor Rajiv Khanna said CYT-101 was an CMV-specific T cell therapy for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and other solid cancers.
“GBM is an aggressive brain cancer and one of the deadliest solid cancers in adults, with limited treatment options available,” Professor Khanna said.
He said the advantage of targeting CMV antigens on GBM cells was that they were detected on tumour cells while not found in surrounding healthy tissue, allowing for a highly targeted approach.
“By harnessing the power of allogeneic CMV-specific T cell therapy, CYT-101 has the potential to offer improved outcomes for GBM patients.”
Professor Khanna said the Phase I study was being conducted in collaboration with Briz Brain & Spine and Newro Foundation and was evaluating the safety, tolerability, and preliminary signals of efficacy in patients with recurrent GBM.
“We are pleased to have completed enrolment, reflecting the strong demand from clinical collaborators and patients for innovative treatment options for GBM.”
He said results from the study would inform the design of subsequent clinical trials and support the continued development of CYT-101 as a novel treatment approach for glioblastoma and other high-unmet-need solid cancers.
