AbClon's AT101 Featured in Molecular Cancer Journal
AbClon announced on the 11th that the unique mechanism of action and
Phase 1 clinical trial results of AT101, its novel CAR-T therapy, have been
published in Molecular Cancer (Impact Factor: 37), one of the
prestigious journal in oncology.
Molecular
Cancer ranks
among the top 1% of cancer research journals worldwide. The corresponding
authors of the study include Professor Marco Ruella from the Center for
Cellular Immunotherapies at the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Dok Hyun
Yoon, Director of the CAR-T Center at Asan Medical Center, Professor Junho
Chung of the Cancer Research Institute at Seoul National University College of
Medicine, and Dr. Jong-Seo Lee, CEO of AbClon.
The
published study highlights three distinct features of AT101, a novel CAR-T
therapy independently developed by AbClon, along with its unique efficacy
demonstrated in Phase 1 clinical trial.
First,
AT101 maximizes the cancer cell killing effect by binding more closely to the
patient’s cancer cells than conventional CAR-T therapies. Second, it responds more
quickly to cancer cells with a quick "hit and run" mechanism,
enabling continuous attacks without exhaustion. This sustained cancer cell
killing reaction allows AT101 to maintain a prolonged and potent anti-cancer effect
in the patient's body, distinguishing it from existing CAR-T therapies. Third,
AT101 uses a humanized antibody instead of a murine-derived one, extending the
lifespan of CAR-T cells and enhancing therapeutic durability.
Due
to these characteristics, AT101 demonstrated remarkable clinical outcomes in
the Phase 1 trial conducted on blood cancer patients. Among the mid- and
high-dose cohorts, all six patients achieved complete remission (CR). At the
time of publication, patients had maintained their remission for a period
ranging from six to 18 months without any relapse. This is a stark difference from conventional CAR-T
therapies, where nearly half of the patients experience relapse within six
months post-treatment.
Beyond its potency and durability, the study
also highlights AT101’s effectiveness against patient-derived models resistant
to CAR-T therapies using the FMC63 antibody, which is utilized in Novartis' Kymriah
and Gilead’s Yescarta. Unlike these therapies, which failed to show any
initial efficacy in certain resistant patient-derived models, AT101
successfully demonstrated therapeutic effects.
The findings on AT101 have also been covered
by leading international media outlets and featured as a major news update on
the University of Pennsylvania’s official website. According to the report,
Professor Marco Ruella commented, "AT101 has the potential to address
blood cancer patient populations that existing CAR-T therapies have failed to
treat."
An AbClon representative stated, “The publication of this
study confirms the outstanding therapeutic potential of AT101 in blood cancers.
It also serves as an opportunity to showcase AT101 and AbClon to the global
medical and biotech industries. With exclusive patent rights that do not
infringe on existing CAR-T therapy patents, we are now more confident in
driving AT101’s global expansion."
Professor
Dok Hyun Yoon of Asan Medical Center, who participated as a co-corresponding
author, remarked, "AT101 is a novel CD19 CAR-T therapy optimized for
antigen binding using a humanized antibody. Its distinctive properties,
validated through experimental studies and a Phase 1 clinical trial, provide
strong evidence of its safety and therapeutic potential."
Professor
Junho Chung of Seoul National University College of Medicine, who also participated
as a co-corresponding author, added, "Developing antibodies for CAR-T
therapies requires advanced technical expertise. Until now, all approved CD19 CAR-T
therapies have utilized the same murine-derived antibody. However, AbClon has
developed a CAR-T therapy using a novel humanized antibody. This achievement
highlights AbClon’s outstanding technological capabilities and raises
expectations for the development of its next-generation CAR-T therapies."
