Positive Progress in AlloCAR T™: The Revolution in Cell Therapy is on the Horizon

2020 has been an unexpected year for the medical community and around the world. However, the pharmaceutical and biotech industries are in the business of handling some of the toughest medical challenges. One thing is clear during this time, scientific innovation is our cornerstone and true North.

Our team at Allogene continues to be singularly focused on allogeneic cell therapy to deliver a new approach to cancer treatment that has the potential to revolutionize patient outcomes and unlock accessibility. The initial data that Allogene shared at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) virtual conference is an important step toward realizing the potential of allogeneic CAR T therapy.

In a virtual session, Allogene presented its first-in-human AlloCAR T™ data from ALPHA, the Phase 1 dose escalation clinical trial of ALLO-501, an anti-CD19 AlloCAR T therapy, in relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This trial utilizes ALLO-647, Allogene's anti-CD52 antibody that allows us to customize lymphodepletion and provides unique differentiation from others in the field. 

Building on the Success of Autologous CAR T Therapies

In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first two autologous CAR T therapies. Since Allogene’s founding in 2018, we have been consistent in our goal to have allogeneic cell therapy, or AlloCAR T, follow the success of autologous CAR T therapy while providing major benefits in time, convenience, reliability, and scale. Our development strategy and ALPHA trial design have been structured to make this goal a reality. While only time and experimentation will answer all outstanding scientific questions, I believe this initial data exemplifies scientific innovation and is a step forward for the future of cell therapy.

Leading the Future of Allogeneic Cell Therapy

The challenge we face today as a society has been an important reminder for the scientific community that innovation is needed to address the ever changing needs of patients. In a world in which hospitals may be overburdened, the benefits of being able to provide an on-demand cell therapy which reduces the logistical burden are even more acute. 

At Allogene, now more than ever, it’s crucial we demonstrate our values – to innovate, focus, collaborate and lead – so that we can move swiftly towards our mission to create the next revolution in cancer treatment with the development of allogeneic CAR T cell therapies. The disease does not slow down, so neither will we.