Allogene's Preclinical Data Show Healthy Donor-Derived Allogeneic CAR T Cells Have Better Immune Fitness, Killing Activity

Allogene Therapeutics Inc ALLO announced the publication of preclinical study results demonstrating the superior long-term in vitro myeloma-killing activity of allogeneic anti-BCMA CAR T cells from healthy donors compared with cells from multiple myeloma patients. 

• The findings were published in Cancer Research Communications, the American Association for Cancer Research journal.
• Healthy donors had higher T cell counts, a higher CD4/CD8 T cell ratio, and naïve/stem cell memory phenotype than patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.
• Anti-BCMA allogeneic CAR T cells derived from healthy donors showed efficient killing of primary multiple myeloma cells across different patient sub-groups, including high-risk disease.
• Also Read: FDA Lifts Clinical Hold On Allogene's CAR-T Trials.
• In a subset of patient samples with low BCMA, the addition of a gamma-secretase inhibitor increased the surface levels of BCMA and led to improved cytotoxic activity.
• The Company has two AlloCAR T trials underway investigating product candidates for multiple myeloma. 
• The first is a Phase 1 UNIVERSAL trial that includes cohorts evaluating ALLO-715 as a monotherapy and in combination with SpringWorks Therapeutics Inc's SWTX nirogacestat. 
• The second is Phase 1 IGNITE dose-escalation trial evaluating ALLO-605, Allogene's first TurboCAR candidate. 
• Allogene intends to provide a BCMA program clinical update by the end of 2022.
• Price Action: ALLO shares are down 2.21% at $9.74 during the market session on the last check Wednesday.