CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings Limited, a company focused on innovative CAR T-cell therapies for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, announces that CARsgen and Moderna, Inc. have initiated a collaboration agreement to investigate CARsgen’s investigational Claudin18.2 CAR T-cell product candidate (CT041) in combination with Moderna’s investigational Claudin18.2 mRNA cancer vaccine.
CT041 (satricabtagene autoleucel), is CARsgen’s autologous CAR T-cell product being investigated for the potential treatment of gastric, pancreatic, and other specified digestive system cancers and is currently in multiple ongoing clinical studies in China and North America. Moderna is developing an investigational off-the-shelf mRNA cancer vaccine that encodes for the Claudin18.2 protein, a tumor associated antigen. The collaboration contemplates conducting preclinical studies and a phase I clinical trial to evaluate CT041 in combination with Moderna’s Claudin18.2 mRNA cancer vaccine.
“CT041 is the most advanced solid tumor CAR-T in development (pivotal phase II) and continues to show promise in treating gastric and pancreatic cancers. In our quest to make cancer curable, we are continuously exploring multiple modalities to eradicate tumors. Attacking tumors with CAR T-cell therapy in combination with a cancer vaccine could potentially provide greater clinical benefit to patients.” said Dr. Zonghai Li, Founder, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Scientific Officer of CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings Limited. Dr. Li further added, “Moderna has clearly established themselves as a scientific and commercial leader in the field of mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics, and we are pleased to partner with Moderna to explore a potential synergism between our innovative therapies.”
“We are pleased to partner with CARsgen to explore the potential synergy of CAR-T with an investigational mRNA cancer vaccine that encodes for the Claudin18.2 protein. Claudin18.2 is a promising therapeutic target to potentially treat multiple cancer types with high unmet medical need. We continue to deliver on the promise of mRNA science to create a new generation of transformative medicines in oncology,” said Dr. Lin Guey, Chief Scientific Officer of External Research Ventures, Moderna.