Celyad Oncology, a biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative treatments for CAR T-cell therapies, has announced the publication of the data from the haematological arm of the THINK study, which evaluated the effectiveness of its CYAD-01 treatment for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The groundbreaking findings, which were published in TheLancet Haematology, demonstrate the potential of CYAD-01 as a powerful treatment option for those fighting these life-threatening blood diseases.
CYAD-01, the Company’s first autologous CAR T-cell candidate, has been clinically assessed and is based on the natural killer receptor NKG2D. The THINK study, an open-label, dose-escalation Phase 1 study, was conducted on patients with r/r AML, MDS, or MM who had received at least one previous line of therapy from five hospitals in the USA and Belgium. This exciting research offers new hope for patients facing these conditions.
The Lancet Haematology recently published the results of a study that assessed the safety and efficacy of CYAD-01, a novel immunotherapy, in 16 patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. The study tested three dose levels and administered three infusions at two-week intervals without any preconditioning chemotherapy. The results demonstrated a favourable safety profile with promising signs of clinical activity as three out of the 12 evaluable patients achieved an objective response.
The THINK study is a groundbreaking CAR T-cell study in relapsed/refractory AML/MDS, as it is one of the first to evaluate multiple infusions of CYAD-01 as a stand-alone product, without prior bridging or preconditioning chemotherapy. This is of particular relevance considering the median older age and poorer general condition of patients with r/r AML or MDS at diagnosis. This study offers hope to those seeking an alternative to traditional chemotherapy, as it provides the possibility of a more targeted approach with fewer side effects.
These results provide a promising proof-of-concept for targeting NKG2D ligands with CAR T-cell therapy, even in a difficult-to-treat patient population. This exciting finding warrants further development of NKG2D-based CAR T-cell therapies to improve the anti-tumour activity and provide better treatment options for those who need it.
About Celyad Oncology
Celyad Oncology is a groundbreaking biotechnology company that is revolutionizing cancer treatment by developing innovative, cutting-edge chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. With a focus on unlocking the true potential of their proprietary technology and intellectual property, Celyad Oncology is hard at work creating next-generation CAR T candidates for treating both solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Based in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium and New York, NY, Celyad Oncology is leading the charge in changing the face of cancer treatment.