GC Cell's immune cell therapy "GCC2005" was presented orally on the 30th (local time) at the 17th T-cell Lymphoma Forum (TCLF) in San Diego, United States.
According to the company on the 2nd, TCLF is an international conference where experts in T-cell lymphoma gather to discuss the latest research findings and strategies for diagnosis and treatment. The presentation was given by Professor Kim Won-seok of the Division of Hematology-Oncology at Samsung Medical Center. In the presentation, Kim introduced the development process of GCC2005 from the early research stage to the current clinical stage.
GCC2005 is a cell therapy made using natural killer (NK) immune cells derived from allogeneic umbilical cord blood. The target is CD5. CD5 is a protein expressed on the surface of normal T cells and some NK cells, as well as certain hematologic cancer cells, including peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
At this conference, interim results from an ongoing phase 1 clinical trial in Korea were also disclosed. The trial enrolled nine patients with relapsed or refractory NK/T-cell lymphoma with confirmed CD5 expression.
According to the company, no dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) or serious adverse events were reported. Infection-related side effects, which are frequently reported with competing CD5 CAR-T Therapy, were also not observed.
Results were also meaningful in terms of efficacy. Among eight patients evaluable for tumor response, the objective response rate (ORR) was 62.5%. Of these, three achieved complete response (CR) and two achieved partial response (PR).
In some patients, complete response was achieved with a single administration. There was also a trend toward improved response rates with higher doses, and reductions in target lesions were observed in some patients with progressive disease.
GC Cell is currently conducting a dose-escalation study in a high-dose cohort. It plans to expand development to a domestic phase 1b (dose expansion) and a global phase 2 afterward.