China-based JunCell Therapeutics has presented the first clinical data for its tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, GC101, in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Immuno-Oncology Congress. The Phase I study, involving 12 heavily pre-treated patients, reported an objective response rate (ORR) of 41.7% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 66.7%. This marks the first disclosure of data from a registrational clinical study in China for a TIL therapy in lung cancer.

GC101 employs an innovative protocol that eliminates the need for high-intensity lymphodepletion chemotherapy and exogenous IL-2 administration, which are associated with significant toxicity in traditional TIL therapies. After a median follow-up of 13.0 months, the median duration of response and overall survival had not yet been reached. These early results show the potential of this modified TIL approach as a new treatment option for patients with advanced NSCLC who have exhausted standard therapies.

PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database lists 137 TIL therapies under development, plus one approved treatment by Iovance Biotherapeutics. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.