Cell therapy company Chimeric Therapeutics (ASX:CHM) has announced a partnership with US-based Achieve that aims to improve patient access to autologous cell therapies.
Achieve's PRO-Aph enables patients to access cell therapies because they do not have to wait until the standard of care fails them before beginning to contemplate a possible future cell therapy option.
Waiting for cancer to progress while experiencing systemic chemotherapy complicates the logistics of the leukopheresis and renders the collected cells less likely to deliver an effective CAR T. PRO-Aph mitigates these issues by proactively collecting patients' cells while they are still at their healthiest point.
"The use of patients' cells that have previously been exposed to chemotherapy and the logistical challenges of just-in-time manufacturing have a negative impact both on patients trying to access these new medicines and cell therapy companies working to advance their clinical programs," said Dr Jason B Litten, chief medical officer of Chimeric. "We believe Achieve's revolutionary approach will streamline our future development plans and make it easier for patients to access CHM CDH17."
"Achieve is excited to support Chimeric's clinical trial, especially given that it is one of the only CAR Ts with IND clearance in advanced gastrointestinal cancers," said Dr Brad Heller, CEO of Achieve Clinics. "Advanced GI cancer patients are prone to bleeding issues that make apheresis risky, so being able to support this patient population early in their cancer treatment is especially meaningful. We are excited to help more patients gain easier access to CHM CDH17, while improving accrual rates and development timelines."
Under the collaboration, Achieve Clinics will perform PRO-Aph proactive collection and storage of autologous cell therapy starting material from appropriately consented patients with gastrointestinal cancer or other applicable diagnoses. Collected patients will become part of Achieve's PRO-Aph participant registry from which Chimeric may screen and enrol patients once eligible. Collected cells will then be used to manufacture CHM CDH17 for eligible patients. Any unused patient cells can be used for future research purposes.
