Atara begins Phase III testing of tabelecleucel to treat EBV-PTLD

Atara Biotherapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:ATRA) began two open-label, international Phase III trials of tabelecleucel to treat Rituxan rituximab-refractory Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV-PTLD).

The MATCH trial will evaluate tabelecleucel in EBV-PTLD patients who had an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant after failing Rituxan. The ALLELE trial will test the therapy in patients who had a solid organ transplant after failing Rituxan or Rituxan plus chemotherapy. Both trials' primary endpoint is confirmed objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints for both trials include duration of response, overall survival (OS), sfaety and quality of life...