cTRL Therapeutics to Present New Data on Tumor-Reactive Lymphocytes at SITC 2024

cTRL Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on next-generation cell therapies for solid tumors, announced plans to present new data at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting 2024, scheduled for November 6-10 in Houston, TX. The company will feature two poster presentations that emphasize the therapeutic promise of circulating tumor-reactive lymphocytes (cTRLs), using its proprietary IsoQore™ cell isolation platform.

Ruben Rodriguez, PhD, Head of Research at cTRL Therapeutics, expressed enthusiasm about presenting data that reveal the strong tumor reactivity and therapeutic potential of cTRLs for patients with limited treatment options. He highlighted that these findings underscore the capacity of the IsoQore™ platform to enable the therapeutic use of cTRLs, which were previously thought to be unutilizable, offering new hope for patients with solid tumors.

The first poster, Abstract 401, focuses on the anti-tumor activity of cTRLs isolated from checkpoint-refractory melanoma patients who had failed traditional TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) manufacturing. The data demonstrate that cTRLs show strong tumor reactivity and a higher frequency of tumor-reactive TCR (T-cell receptor) repertoire compared to TILs, indicating a more effective anti-tumor response. This suggests that cTRLs could serve as a simpler and more potent alternative to conventional cell therapy methods like TIL therapy. The presentation for this abstract is scheduled for Friday, November 8.

The second poster, Abstract 400, examines the reactivity of cTRLs isolated from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients against their own tumors. The findings indicate that cTRLs show lower levels of exhaustion markers such as PD-1 and CD39, and higher levels of memory/activation markers like CD27 and CD28, compared to paired TILs. This indicates that cTRLs have better functionality and tumor reactivity, positioning them as a promising new polyclonal T-cell therapy. This approach could eliminate the need for surgical tumor resection, thus broadening patient eligibility for this treatment. The presentation for this abstract will take place on Saturday, November 9.

Derrell Porter, M.D., CEO of cTRL Therapeutics, noted that these data underscore the potential of cTRLs as a next-generation cell therapy approach. He emphasized the benefits of a non-invasive blood draw over surgical tumor resection and highlighted the superior cell fitness of cTRLs compared to traditional cell therapies. This could provide patients with a more accessible, scalable, and effective treatment option. cTRL Therapeutics is eager to share these findings with the scientific community at the SITC meeting.

The company continues to advance its IsoQore™ platform, which isolates and expands high-quality cTRLs from peripheral blood. This innovative approach aims to overcome the limitations of current cell therapy modalities, paving the way for a new era of effective treatments for solid tumors.

cTRL Therapeutics is dedicated to redefining cell therapy for solid tumors through the use of the IsoQore™ platform. This technology allows for the isolation and expansion of circulating tumor-reactive lymphocytes from peripheral blood, offering a safer and scalable solution for a wide range of solid tumors. The company's leading product, cTRL-001, promises to deliver a groundbreaking therapeutic option for patients facing various solid tumor challenges.