Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals PLC (LSE:HEMO, OTC:HOPHF) confirmed it is in the final stages of opening a clinical site ahead of a phase I trial of its lead asset, HEMO-CAR-T, which is being developed to treat acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
In an update alongside interim results, it said that the world-renowned MD Anderson Center in Texas will treat the first patient. The company added that the University of Pennsylvania remains "eager to participate," but this is unlikely before the end of the year.
HEMO-CAR-T is a next-generation CAR-T, or or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. It redefines the battle against the disease by reprogramming the body's own natural defences, called T-cells, to recognise and kill cancer cells.
CAR-T offers something that the healthcare industry rarely comes up with – a curative treatment.
At the same time, big pharma's interest in the next generation of CAR-T has seen AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Abbvie, and Novartis top the billion-dollar threshold in milestone and royalty payments.
Alongside HEMO-CAR-T, Hemogenyx is advancing two other promising drug candidates aimed at addressing different health challenges.
The company’s CBR (Chimeric Bait Receptor) platform is an advanced immunotherapy designed to reprogramme immune cells, such as macrophages, to combat viral infections and target specific types of cancer.
Initially focused on treating viruses like COVID-19, CBR has since shown potential for fighting cancers, including rare types such as epithelial ovarian carcinoma. The platform’s versatility includes the ability to deliver treatments intranasally, which could be particularly useful for airborne infections. Ongoing research is refining the stability of mRNA-based CBRs to enhance their effectiveness.
The company is also progressing its CDX programme, a treatment developed to assist patients with AML in preparing for bone marrow transplants. CDX not only targets AML cells directly but also helps condition patients for transplantation.
Hemogenyx has developed an improved version of CDX using bispecific pairing technology, which has demonstrated increased effectiveness in laboratory tests. The new version is currently undergoing animal studies, to advance to clinical trials.
For the six months ended June 30, the company booked a loss of £2.8 million as invested in its R&D effort. It exited the period with £1.6 million on the balance sheet.