New Hope for Myeloma and Amyloidosis Patients
The treatment, developed by researchers from Bar-Ilan University and Hadassah Medical Center, recently passed the clinical trial phase and will advance to the next phase with the help of Immix Biopharma.
The innovative treatment was developed following a study in which researchers from Bar-Ilan University’s Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences exhibited encouraging results in a clinical trial carried out in patients with multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis. The experiment's success led those involved in it to sign a new agreement to promote the next generation of treatments. BIRAD, the commercialization arm of Bar-Ilan University, "Hadasit" the innovation engine of the Hadassah Medical Center, and "Immix Biopharma" signed the agreement.
The collaboration between Prof. Cyrille Cohen, Head of the Immunology and Immunotherapy Laboratory at Bar-Ilan University, and Prof. Polina Stepensky of Hadassah led to the development of the innovative technology. Dr. Shlomit Kfir-Erenfeld and Dr. Nathalie Asherie from Hadassah, as well Ortal Harush from Bar-Ilan contributed to the research.
In the clinical trial, CAR-T Cell genetic engineering technology was used to "program" the patient's white blood cells to attack the cancerous blood tumors.
The clinical trial results were very encouraging - the overall response rate of multiple myeloma patients with recurring or drug-resistant diseases reached 90%. The complete response rate of the AL amyloidosis patients was 100%. No unexpected significant side effects were recorded in both patient populations.
"For the first time, we were able to successfully reprogram the immune system of patients with the help of the unique receptor we developed," explains Prof. Cohen, "Thanks to the collaboration with Hadassah, dozens of patients will benefit from the future promise of better treatments. The successful treatment encourages us to continue developing new approaches to treating cancer and autoimmunity diseases".
Prof. Stepensky added: "We are very excited about the initial results. The licensing agreement will allow us to continue promoting the clinical trials. Our new technology may become one of the first CAR-T treatments for these indications and other BCMA-positive cancers, and it may improve the lives of many patients worldwide."
Zohar Yinon, CEO of Bar-Ilan University, commented on the achievement: "This is example of the diverse research in the fields of health and medicine taking place in Bar-Ilan University laboratories, and of the ecosystem that produces cutting-edge research and initiatives that are ready to be commercialized by scientists at the university's faculties of medicine, life sciences, and engineering, the brain center, and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA)."