ImmunityBio Reports Complete Responses in Non-Hodgkin Waldenstrom Lymphoma Patients with Chemotherapy-Free, First-In-Class CD19 CAR-NK Immunotherapy
- Single-agent CD19 CAR-NK cell therapy achieved a complete response in third-line Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM), a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Second patient maintains an ongoing complete response at six months with CD19 CAR-NK in combination with rituximab and a third WM patient has been enrolled in the study
- First study to demonstrate the potential for complete responses with a chemotherapy-free immunotherapy in late-stage WM patients validating the power of NK cells
ImmunityBio ((IBRX), a leading immunotherapy company, announced today early findings from its QUILT-106 Phase I trial, showing highly promising complete responses in the first two patients treated to date with late-stage Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM)—a type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL)—using its CD19 CAR-NK (CD19 t-haNK) natural killer cell therapy.
QUILT-106 (NCT06334991) is a first-in-human trial evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of CD19 CAR-NK cell therapy alone and in combination with rituximab in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) CD19⁺CD20⁺ B-cell NHL. The disease remains challenging to treat, and WM is considered incurable with existing treatment options, making novel immunotherapies an important avenue of exploration for potential effective treatments.
In the first two evaluable patients with WM who were heavily pretreated, an entirely chemotherapy-free, immunotherapy regimen induced encouraging responses. Both patients tolerated the regimen with no significant toxicities. Notably, all infusions (including CAR-NK cells and cytokines) were administered in an outpatient setting. One patient achieved a complete response (CR) with CD19 CAR NK monotherapy, while the second patient achieved CR with CD19 CAR-NK in combination with rituximab. Remission was maintained and is ongoing for six months to date.
The open-label study sponsored by ImmunityBio and led by Dr. Glenda Gray, former President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and current Chair of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), has enrolled 13 patients with NHL at three sites in South Africa. Of the patients enrolled so far, three have WM. Eligible study participants express CD19 and CD20, with active disease after ≥2 chemotherapy-based lines of treatment. All patients receive a lead-in cycle of CD19 CAR-NK cell monotherapy, followed by a 1-week safety observation pause, then a second cycle combining CD19 CAR-NK with rituximab. Key endpoints include safety/tolerability and objective response rate (ORR) by standard criteria.
"The preliminary findings we have submitted for presentation at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting provides the first evidence that novel immunotherapy combinations without chemotherapy lymphodepletion can provide deep and durable remissions in WM even after multiple prior treatments," said Dr. Jackie Thomson, Wits University Donald Gordan Medical Center, Johannesburg, South Africa and the lead author of the paper. "Recruitment in this rare subset of lymphoma is ongoing to confirm these findings and to establish this chemo-free strategy as a viable treatment option for relapsed WM."
ImmunityBio's CD19 CAR-NK Therapy
CD19 CAR-NK is a targeted high-affinity natural killer cell therapy – an off-the-shelf, allogeneic NK cell line engineered to express a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and a high-affinity CD16 (FcγRIIIa 158V) receptor. This design enables dual anti-tumor mechanisms: direct CAR-mediated cytotoxicity and augmented antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity when paired with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab. Combining CD19 CAR-NK cells with rituximab could thereby target CD19⁺/CD20⁺ lymphoma cells to enhance tumor cell killing.
About ImmunityBio
ImmunityBio is a vertically-integrated commercial stage biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies that bolster the natural immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases. The Company's range of immunotherapy and cell therapy platforms, alone and together, act to drive and sustain an immune response with the goal of creating durable and safe protection against disease. Designated an FDA Breakthrough Therapy, ANKTIVA is the first FDA-approved immunotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer CIS that activates NK cells, T cells, and memory T cells for a long-duration response. The Company is applying its science and platforms to treating cancers, including the development of potential cancer vaccines, as well as developing immunotherapies and cell therapies that we believe sharply reduce or eliminate the need for standard high-dose chemotherapy. These platforms and their associated product candidates are designed to be more effective, accessible, and easily administered than current standards of care in oncology and infectious diseases. For more information, visit ImmunityBio.com (Founder's Vision) and connect with us on X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
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ImmunityBio, Inc.
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ImmunityBio, Inc.
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