{"id":84748,"date":"2017-09-25T14:42:39","date_gmt":"2017-09-25T14:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=babba39dfef55df48d3165e4827d3c22"},"modified":"2017-09-25T14:42:39","modified_gmt":"2017-09-25T14:42:39","slug":"news-story-living-medicine-cancer-therapy-starts-clinical-trials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=84748","title":{"rendered":"News story: \u2018Living medicine\u2019 cancer therapy starts clinical trials"},"content":{"rendered":"
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London-based biopharmaceutical company Autolus<\/a> is undertaking a novel cancer trial targeting T-cells.<\/p>\n

Using CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T-cell) therapy, this \u2018living medicine\u2019 involves genetically engineering a patient\u2019s own immune cells to improve their cancer-fighting properties and then reinfusing these cells back into their bloodstream.<\/p>\n

It could offer new hope to people with multiple myeloma, which is the second most common blood cancer. Multiple myeloma is characterised by malignant plasma cells that accumulate in the patient\u2019s bone marrow and produce abnormal proteins which can cause kidney problems, impairment of the immune system and further tumours to spread. There is currently no cure.<\/p>\n

How it works<\/h2>\n

The study \u2013 which Autolus is calling APRIL \u2013 is for its AUTO2 product.<\/p>\n

AUTO2 works by using a natural protein called APRIL ligand to target and bind with 2 cell receptors: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI).<\/p>\n

Autolus believes that by adding APRIL ligand as a surface protein to the patients T cells it could improve the ability of the body\u2019s own immune system to detect and kill cancer cells. This simultaneous dual-targeting could also minimise the risk of the cancer cells escaping capture and so avoid the patient\u2019s disease from relapsing.<\/p>\n

In the trial, patients with multiple myeloma will receive increasing doses of AUTO2. This will help to establish a recommended dose. It will then assess the safety, tolerability and clinical activity at this dose.<\/p>\n

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\"Testing<\/div>
Testing at Autolus’ laboratory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Minimise the risk of the cancer cells escaping treatment<\/h2>\n

Dr Christian Itin, Autolus\u2019 CEO said:<\/p>\n

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Breaking the defence mechanisms of cancers against T-cells is key to unlocking the curative potential of CAR-T cell therapies. AUTO2 is a first example of Autolus\u2019 approach to specifically re-programme the patient\u2019s own T-cells to minimise the risk of the cancer cells escaping treatment.<\/p>\n

With the start of this study we have transitioned to a clinical stage company; an important step on our path to build a fully integrated autologous CAR-T cell company with a portfolio of differentiated therapies for the treatment of patients with cancer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Supporting the development of CAR-T therapy<\/h2>\n

An Innovate UK grant partially funded some of the early work on AUTO2. Autolus was granted just over \u00a31.48 million to test the effectiveness of patients T-cells to target multiple myeloma cells when re-engineered with the ligand that binds to BCMA and TACI. Evidence gathered here has directly contributed to progress the development of this product to clinical trials.<\/p>\n

Autolus has also been awarded Innovate UK funding in an additional 2 projects. In the first, the company will receive up to \u00a31.15 million to address the particular problem of CAR T-cells attacking T-cell lymphomas. The second will look to establish a scalable, commercially-viable manufacturing process for CAR-T therapies, with grant costs of up to \u00a3744,565.<\/p>\n

Spun out of University College London<\/a> in 2014, Autolus has gone on to receive funding worth \u00a370 million from investment groups, Arix<\/a>, Syncona<\/a> and Woodford Patient Capital Trust<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The company was recently highlighted as a \u2018one-to-watch\u2019 \u2013 an ambitious business that we have supported whose achievements promise to change the world \u2013 as part of our 10th anniversary celebrations.<\/p>\n

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See Autolus and other innovators recognised in our brochure<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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See other Innovate UK success stories<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The next steps<\/h2>\n

As well as progressingAUTO2, Autolus has a pipeline of products in development for haematological malignances and solid tumours, for which it has recently progressed another product – AUTO3 – into the clinic. This study involves 2 separate groups: children with leukemia and adults with lymphoma.<\/p>\n

These 3 clinical trials will involve around 250 patients in hospitals across the UK. It is expected they will be completed by late 2021.<\/p>\n

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Visit Autolus\u2019 website for more information<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pioneering treatment for multiple myeloma – partially-funded by an Innovate UK grant – reaches clinical stage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84748"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=84748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84748\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=84748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=84748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=84748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}