Over the past years, we have witnessed several groundbreaking changes in our ability to treat relapses of lymphoma with various forms of immunotherapy. These new treatment modalities are based on a principle of bypassing the normal immune system activation mechanisms that lymphoma has successfully evaded, thereby re-establishing an attack on lymphoma cells using the patient's own immune system.
One of these new treatment methods is called chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR T-cells) (the principle described elsewhere on this website). CAR-T cells have proven to be able to cure patients with relapses of aggressive lymphoma who have not had multiple treatment options before.
As part of CITCO, we have worked intensively to make CAR T-cell treatment available to Danish lymphoma patients, especially those for whom there is no good standard treatment. Around March 1, 2024, we will be able to offer treatment with Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Yescarta®) to patients with early relapse of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) if certain criteria are met. Additionally, in the first half of 2024, we expect to open two clinical protocols in Phase I/II with newer and more advanced CAR-T products for patients with multiple subtypes of B-cell lymphoma who have experienced multiple relapses. In the fall of 2024, we will also open a clinical phase-3 study with an already commercially registered CAR-T cell product, Lisocabtagene Maraleucel (Breyanzi®), to investigate its effectiveness compared to the current standard treatment with immune-chemotherapy in cases of first or later relapse of follicular lymphoma.
In parallel with targeted efforts to be ready to offer treatment with commercial CAR-T products as standard and in clinical protocols, it has always been our ambition to produce CAR-T cells in our own laboratory. We are now well-prepared with our own CAR T-cell product (CITCAR19), which will be tested in a Phase Ib clinical study on patients with relapse of various forms of B-cell lymphoma for whom there are no other treatment options. We hope to offer this opportunity to the first patients in the summer/fall of 2024.
One of these new treatment methods is called chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR T-cells) (the principle described elsewhere on this website). CAR-T cells have proven to be able to cure patients with relapses of aggressive lymphoma who have not had multiple treatment options before.
As part of CITCO, we have worked intensively to make CAR T-cell treatment available to Danish lymphoma patients, especially those for whom there is no good standard treatment. Around March 1, 2024, we will be able to offer treatment with Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Yescarta®) to patients with early relapse of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) if certain criteria are met. Additionally, in the first half of 2024, we expect to open two clinical protocols in Phase I/II with newer and more advanced CAR-T products for patients with multiple subtypes of B-cell lymphoma who have experienced multiple relapses. In the fall of 2024, we will also open a clinical phase-3 study with an already commercially registered CAR-T cell product, Lisocabtagene Maraleucel (Breyanzi®), to investigate its effectiveness compared to the current standard treatment with immune-chemotherapy in cases of first or later relapse of follicular lymphoma.
In parallel with targeted efforts to be ready to offer treatment with commercial CAR-T products as standard and in clinical protocols, it has always been our ambition to produce CAR-T cells in our own laboratory. We are now well-prepared with our own CAR T-cell product (CITCAR19), which will be tested in a Phase Ib clinical study on patients with relapse of various forms of B-cell lymphoma for whom there are no other treatment options. We hope to offer this opportunity to the first patients in the summer/fall of 2024.