Robert Wenham, MD, MS, FACS, On Assessing FSHR-CAR-T Therapy in Ovarian Cancer

“This is somewhat unique in that we're delivering the cells directly into the peritoneal cavity... We don't really know if intraperitoneal is necessary. There's lots of reasons you could theorize while intraperitoneal may be good, because that's where most of theovarian cancer is... There is also some preclinical data suggesting that that may be the preferred route as well, and we will find out.”

A phase 1 study (NCT05316129) being conducted at Moffitt Cancer Center, in Tampa, Florida, is evaluating Anixa Biosciences’ chimeric endocrine receptor T-cell (CER-T) therapy targeting follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) for the potential treatment of ovarian cancer.

The dose-escalation study will determine the maximum tolerated dose of the CER-T therapy and will evaluate its safety profile in up to 48 participants delivered either intravenously or through intraperitoneal injection. The first patient with ovarian cancer was dosed in August 2022.

CGTLive spoke with the trial’s principal investigator Robert Wenham, MD, MS, FACS. Wenham serves as the chair of gynecologic oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center.Wenham discussed enrollment, protocols, and outcomes of the trial. He stressed the interdisciplinary collaboration available at Moffitt aswell as the value of his colleagues’ previous experiences and research.

REFERENCE

Anixa Biosciences announces treatment of first patient in its ovarian cancer CAR-T clinical trial. News release. August 15, 2022. https://ir.anixa.com/press-releases/detail/999/anixa-biosciences-announces-treatment-of-first-patient-in