Tessa Therapeutics Ltd., a clinical-stage cell therapy company, has announced an exciting new partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), they will be investigating TT11X, Tessa’s allogeneic “off-the-shelf” CD30.CAR-modified Epstein-Barr virus-specific T-cell (EBVST) therapy, to treat multiple types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This ground-breaking research has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatments and save countless lives.
Tessa is proud to partner with the NCI’s Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) to explore the potential for TT11X to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma. With the NCI Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) acting as the regulatory sponsor, Tessa will be able to access clinical networks and resources to conduct mutually approved clinical trials. Impressively, Phase 1 data from TT11X presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) showed that the treatment is safe and effective, with 79% overall response rate and 43% complete response rate among 14 CD30-positve Hodgkin lymphoma patients.
Tessa is thrilled to have entered into a CRADA with NCI. This collaboration will be the driving force behind the development of the company’s scientific platform, and will provide the opportunity to conduct clinical trials with TT11X across a variety of indications. The results from the Phase 1 trial of TT11X in patients with CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma have been promising, leading to the belief that this ‘off-the-shelf’ therapy could be effective in treating other CD30-positive subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Tessa is excited to benefit from the experience and resources of the DCTD, their funded extramural clinical network groups, and their clinical research team.
Tessa is pushing the boundaries of cancer treatment, with a pipeline of products that tap into CD30.CAR-modified EBVSTs. At the forefront is their lead allogeneic cell therapy, TT11X – a collaborative effort with Baylor College of Medicine to treat relapsed or refractory CD30-positive lymphomas (NCT04288726). But the potential doesn’t end there. Tessa is also pushing to bring their allogeneic EBVST platform to other cancer indications, including solid tumors. With this bold ambition, Tessa is determined to make a real difference in the fight against cancer.
Tessa’s cutting-edge CD30.CAR-EBVST allogeneic cell therapy platform is the culmination of decades of research and development by the experts at Baylor College of Medicine. These sophisticated virus-specific T-cells (VSTs) have the remarkable ability to identify and destroy infected cells, while also stimulating other parts of the immune system for a powerful combined response. Early trials have proven CD30.CAR-modified allogeneic EBVSTs to be safe with minimal risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), making them an ideal choice for cell therapies.
About Tessa Therapeutics
Tessa Therapeutics, a Singapore-based biotechnology company, is pioneering the development of innovative cell therapies for the treatment of hematological cancers and solid tumors. Its CAR-T portfolio includes a proprietary allogeneic “off-the-shelf” cell therapy platform targeting a broad range of cancers, with the lead candidate – TT11X – currently undergoing a Phase 1 clinical trial in CD30-positive lymphomas. Additionally, TT11, an autologous CD30.CAR-T therapy, is being investigated both as a monotherapy and in combination therapy in the Phase 2 and Phase 1b trials respectively, as a potential treatment for relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma.