Arix Bioscience PLC (LON:ARIX) has noted the presentation by portfolio company Autolus Therapeutics PLC (NASDAQ:AUTL) of new data highlighting positive progress on its AUTO1 programme.
AUTO1 is an anti-cancer CAR T-cell therapy currently going through a phase 1 clinical trial as a treatment for relapsed/refractory adult B-Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia (ALL).
In a statement, Autolus said that out of 19 patients evaluable for efficacy, 16, or 84% of the patients achieved minimum residual disease (MRD)-negative complete response (CR) at one month.
Most notably, the durability of remissions was highly encouraging, it added.
"The high level of sustained CRs observed with AUTO1 in adult ALL, achieved without subsequent stem cell transplant, point to a potentially transformational treatment for adult ALL," said Dr Claire Roddie, Consultant Hematologist, UCL Cancer Institute and University College London Hospital in the statement.
"Despite high disease burden and despite this being a heavily pre-treated patient population on study, AUTO1 remains well-tolerated,” she added.
The presentation was made during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) All-Virtual Annual Meeting, held between December 5-8, 2020.
Arix BioScience has a 6.5% ownership stake in Autolus.