Carisma announces first patient dosed in Phase I clinical trial of CT-0508

Carisma Therapeutics (CARM) announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase I clinical trial that will test the safety and tolerability of the Company’s lead product candidate, CT-0508, a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, or HER2, targeted chimeric antigen receptor macrophage, or CAR-M, in combination with Merck’s anti-PD1 therapy KEYTRUDA, or pembrolizumab, for the treatment of HER2 overexpressing cancers. Pre-clinical data presented at SITC in 2022 demonstrated that the mice that received both therapies had improved tumor control, overall survival, and tumor microenvironment (TME) activation as compared to either treatment alone, indicating synergy and the capacity for CAR-M to sensitize solid tumors to checkpoint blockade. This first patient’s cells were manufactured at the Novartis (NVS) Cell Therapy Site in Morris Plains, New Jersey, following the successful completion of the tech transfer of CT-0508 to Novartis earlier this year. This is Carisma’s first clinical product to be manufactured and administered from this collaboration. The clinical trial sub-study of CT-0508 in combination with KEYTRUDA has been initiated at multiple site locations in the U.S. and will enroll patients with different types of recurrent or metastatic cancers with HER2 overexpressing solid tumors.