The agreement marks the first immunotherapy clinical trial funded by Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Therapy Acceleration Program, an innovative program designed to advance therapies with high prospects of providing near-term benefit to patients suffering from blood cancers.
Based on its alliance with LLS, Memgen plans to begin a Phase I clinical trial in 2008 for up to 12 patients who have 17p-, refractory or resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia with limited therapeutic options.
Patients will receive three infusions of ISF35, followed by up to three courses of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab. After treatment, the patients will be followed for at least one year to determine the safety and efficacy of the regimen.
Louis DeGennaro, chief scientific officer of LLS, said: “The partnership with Memgen accelerates the clinical testing of an immunotherapy and brings us closer to that goal.”