Cellectis has deprioritized one of its leukemia-focused candidates in order to focus on its other two clinical-stage CAR-T therapies.
The transatlantic biotech had been evaluating the CAR-T in question, dubbed UCART123, in a phase 1 study in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia.
“Up to now, this study has provided important insights into the role of CD123-targeted allogeneic CAR-T therapy in relapsed refractory acute myeloid leukemia and the future development of our allogeneic CAR-T platform,” the company said in its third-quarter earnings release Oct. 4.
Despite these insights, Cellectis said UCART123 is being deprioritized so the company’s resources can be focused on its two other CAR-Ts. These include UCART22, an allogeneic CD22-targeting CAR-T in a phase 1/2a trial for relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia that is due to read out next year. There’s also UCART20x22, a dual CD20 and CD22-targetting CAR-T being evaluated in an early-stage study in relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Data from both studies are expected to read out in 2025, when Cellectis will unveil its late-stage development strategy.
The biotech also has a number of partnerships on the go, including a phase 2 trial of an anti-CD19 AlloCAR-T licensed to Servier and Allogene for large B-cell lymphoma. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca is leveraging Cellectis’ gene editing and manufacturing tech as part of a collaboration that has already seen R&D work kick off for an allogeneic CAR-T for hematological malignancies, another allogeneic CAR-T for solid tumors and an in vivo gene therapy for a genetic disorder.
“Cellectis is confident about the continued progress of its ongoing clinical trials in hematological malignancies and is excited about our strategic collaboration with AstraZeneca, with whom we continue to advance our ambition in cell and gene therapy to bring potentially lifesaving therapies to patients with unmet medical needs,” said Cellectic CEO André Choulika, Ph.D.
The company ended September with $264 million in cash and equivalents, of which $140 million came from an equity investment from AstraZeneca tied to the collaboration. Cellectis expects its bank balance to last into 2027.