At the start of October 2022, biopharmaceutical company Mustang Bio, Inc. shared via news release that the first patient was treated in a study of MB-106. Within the study, researchers seek to determine the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of MB-106 for those with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (B-cell NHL 0r B-NHL).
Researchers have already been evaluating MB-106 in another Phase 1/2 study comprising of 28 patients. So far, that study has found MB-106 to be effective, with an overall response rate (ORR) of 96% and complete response (CR) rate of 75%. Within this study, researchers are exploring MB-106 for various cancers including Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. Further, MB-106 has shown a sustained response, with 43% of patients experiencing complete response for over 12 months. The therapy has also been shown to be safe and well-tolerated. Now, researchers hope to build upon that data within this more recent Phase 1/2 study spearheaded by Mustang Bio.
Altogether, around 287 patients will enroll within the Mustang Bio trial. This study will be broken into three separate arms to allow for the testing of various MB-106 doses. To be included in the trial, patients must have relapsed after CD19 CAR T-cell therapy treatment.
MB-106 is a third-generation CAR T-cell therapy which targets CD20-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). It is being jointly developed between the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Mustang Bio.
About Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a blood and bone marrow cancer. It begins in cells in the bone marrow that become lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that normally helps the body fight infection. However, in CLL, abnormal lymphocytes crowd healthy blood cells out of the bone marrow. Although CLL is considered rare, it is the 2nd most common form of adult leukemia. Risk factors include exposure to certain chemicals, increasing age, being male, and having a family history of CLL. Symptoms may not appear until later stages. When symptoms appear, they can (but do not always) include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Frequent infections
- Easy bruising
- Enlarged but painless lymph nodes
- Upper left abdominal pain
- Enlarged spleen
- Unintended weight loss
- Drenching night sweats
