Celyad: First pancreatic cancer patient in its CAR-T NKR-2THINK trial in Belgium

Celyad has activated a second clinical site in Belgium for the , with the registration of a pancreatic cancer patient at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (UCL).

Celyad is now conducting one of the largest clinical trials in the CAR-T space. Celyad is registering patients across the seven indications of the THINK trial and is activating the different sites of the study at a good pace, said Christian Homsy, CEO of Celyad.

“The THINK trial is a world first, evaluating CAR-T NKR-2 cells in both hematological and solid tumors. Based on our outstanding of the preclinical data, our confidence in this technology is very high,”
he said.

“Celyad’s ongoing preclinical work has generated impressive results in models of pancreatic cancer, a particularly devastating form of the disease with a mortality rate that has remained largely unchanged in recent decades. The registration of a first metastatic pancreatic cancer patient reaffirms our commitment to continued product development for patients”, remarked Dr. Frédéric Lehmann, VP Clinical Operations and Medical Affairs at Celyad.

Prof. Ahmed Awada, Head of Medical Oncology at Institut Bordet said: “Immunotherapy is a new approach that offers another alternative to patients who are refractory to more traditional treatment options such as chemotherapy or hormonotherapy. The CAR-T NKR-2 cells therapy is very original since it uses the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. We are optimistic about this approach and are now looking forward to seeing how patients will respond to the treatment.”

Prof. Jean-Pascal Machiels, Head of Medical Oncology at Cliniques Universitaires St- Luc (UCL) added: “Preclinical results as well as first Phase I safety data are very encouraging. We do believe that the THINK study, which is the first to use multiple dosing in patients suffering from very aggressive solid or hematologic metastatic tumors, potentially opens a new avenue for cancer treatment.”

To remind, Celyad has started on Thursday its Therapeutic Immunotherapy with NKR-2 (THINK) trial in Belgium with the first patient giving blood.