Clinical Trial for New Lupus Treatment Opens in China
JW Therapeutics has received approval from the National Medical Products Administration of China to conduct a Phase 1 / 2 clinical trial of its CAR T-cell therapy, relmacabtagene autoleucel (relma-cel), for people with moderate to severe and/or treatment-resistant lupus. CAR T-cells are genetically altered T-cells that play a role in the immune response. Scientists create or engineer new cells called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), and then introduce T-cells into them to create CAR-T cells.
The trial will involve 24 people diagnosed with lupus for at least six months with active disease for at least two months after receiving standard treatment. Phase 1 will examine the safety and tolerability of the therapy at various doses. Phase 2 will launch when optimal dosage is determined and will examine how the therapy works throughout the body. The treatment is already approved in China for treatment of blood cancers.
Continue to follow the Lupus Foundation of America for updates on relma-cel as well as other lupus clinical trials, and learn about treatments being studied for lupus.
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