Latest data for Tmunity’s CRISPR-edited T cells support safety, fall short on efficacy

Carl June and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania reported that the cancers of all three patients treated in a Phase I trial of Tmunity Therapeutics Inc.’s CRISPR-edited NY-ESO TCR T cell therapy had progressed by about six months post-infusion. The data were published in Science, and build on earlier data showing that one patient with multiple myeloma had stable disease at day 90 and another with myxoid/round cell liposarcoma had progressive disease at day 60 (see “First U.S. Clinical CRISPR Data Give Early Safety Signal”).

The new data show both patients eventually progressed although one was still responding. A third, who failed to respond, died from progressive myeloma. The data continue to support the safety and lack of immunogenicity of the cells, with no reports of severe adverse events including cytokine release syndrome and cell persistence for up to nine months. ...