Cytomed Therapeutics announces NMRC co-funding support for ANGELICA trial

CytoMed Therapeutics has obtained full approval for its first-in-human Phase I clinical trial using its patented allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell against several blood and solid tumors in collaboration with the National University Hospital of Singapore. The ANGELICA Trial is co-supported by the Singapore Ministry of Health through the National Medical Research Council Office, and MOH Holdings Pte Ltd under the NMRC Clinical Trial Grant Industry Collaborative Trials scheme. Grant details are confidential. CAR-T cell therapy is currently an individualised treatment that typically involves taking a patient’s blood cells and modifying these in the laboratory by grafting an artificial protein, known as a chimeric antigen receptor, on the surface of T cells, a type of white blood cells. The modified T cells are then re-infused into the patient to target and destroy cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy which targets all actively dividing cells including healthy ones, CAR-T cells specifically recognise targets present on cancer cells to kill them, thus sparing healthy cells. The ANGELICA Trial taps on blood drawn from young healthy donors, potentially improving the quality of CAR-T cells manufactured, lowering production costs and increasing patients’ timely access to therapy since they can be produced off-the-shelf en masse. Current established CAR-T cell therapies use alpha-beta T cells, a type of immune cells which are largely non-transferable between individual human beings due to the high risk of graft-versus-host disease where the graft attacks the host. CytoMed’s ANGELICA Trial uses a rare subtype of immune cells known as gamma delta T cells which can be modified from healthy donors and re-infused into un-related patients without the need for matching. The ANGELICA Trial comprises two parts. Part 1 is ongoing with the recruitment of healthy blood donors at NUH. With the continued collaboration between CytoMed Therapeutics and NUH, Part 2 of the trial may now proceed with the recruitment of patients who have advanced cancers that are resistant to standard therapy regimens. On a separate note, CytoMed has taken over the assets and licence of a licenced cord blood bank in Malaysia using internal cash resources. Please refer to CytoMed’s announcement on July 17, 2024 and October 3, 2024. This acquisition will sharpen CytoMed’s strategy in cell therapies as it now has access to rare and precious cord blood donated for research and development. There is abundant clinical evidence on cord blood-derived biologics for a wide range of aging diseases and regenerative medicine. This new biotechnology arm will be undertaken through CytoMed’s subsidiary, LongevityBank Pte Ltd. The latter is the holding company of IPSC Depository Sdn Bhd which holds the cord blood banking licence issued by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.