First patient successfully treated with Leman Biotech’s cell therapy

Leman Biotech Co., Ltd. announced the successful treatment of the first patient using its metabolic-enhanced CD19 CAR-T therapy (Meta10-19). The clinical trial was officially initiated in early 2023 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Leman Biotech's Metabolic Enhanced CAR-T System. The CD19, a well-studied antigen, was chosen as the therapeutic target to gather preliminary clinical data and accelerate the development of future metabolic-enhanced CAR-T cell therapies for solid cancers.

This dose escalation study conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China has yielded promising results for Leman Biotech's Meta 10-19 therapy in the treatment of patients with recurrent or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Notably, the first patient in the study received a Meta 10-19 therapy dose equivalent to only 5% of the conventional CD19 CAR-T clinical dosage. Preliminary findings indicate that Meta10-19 CAR-T therapy exhibits remarkable safety, robust cell expansion potential, potent tumor-killing activity, and prolonged existence of CAR-T cells within the patient's body. During the initial follow-up examination, it was confirmed that the patient achieved complete remission, indicating a clinical cure. Significantly, the entire therapeutic procedure using Meta 10-19 therapy did not lead to any adverse events commonly associated with conventional CAR-T therapies, such as fever, cytokine storms, and neurotoxicity.

The principle investigator plans to further reduce the CAR-T cell dosage to 1% or less of the conventional dose, which will greatly reduce the preparation time and cost associated with CAR-T cell therapy. This advancement holds the potential to provide high-quality CAR-T products and a more accessible treatment option for patients with recurrent or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, emphasizing the platform's potential clinical significance and value.

Leman Biotech is a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company co-founded by the team led by Professor Li Tang of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). The company with offices in Shenzen and at Biopôle in Epalinges has a highly qualified R&D team, with over 70% of its personnel graduating from esteemed Chinese and international universities and possessing extensive industrial experience. In December 2021, only six months after its inception, Leman Biotech completed a successful angel round of financing, raising nearly $11 million, with plans for further financing underway. 

(Press release / SK)