Julian Adams, PhD, chief executive officer, Gamida Cell, discusses research efforts surrounding GDA-201, including details of the cryo buffer that the company developed in order to efficiently freeze and recover the GDA-201 cells, and also discussed the company’s future studies of omidubicel (Nicord) for the treatment of hematological malignancies.

While cell therapy strategies can be an effective treatment for relapsed or refractory lymphomas, there is still much to be improved when it comes to the production and logistics associated with these therapies. One such company focused on these improvements is Gamida Cell, who recently instituted a new process to improve the stability of 1 of their investigational agents, GDA-201, for the treatment of follicular and diffuse large B cell lymphomas.

Results from a phase 3 study of omidubicel (NCT02730299) recently presented at the Virtual 47th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation showed that the treatment was associated with a significantly improved median time to neutrophil engraftment compared with standard umbilical cord blood transplantation in patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies.

Videos

Julian Adams, PhD, discusses research efforts surrounding GDA-201, including details of the cryo buffer that the company developed in order to efficiently freeze and recover the GDA-201 cells. 

Dr. Adams on Tackling Storage and Logistical Challenges in Cell Therapy

Julian Adams, PhD, chief executive officer, discusses approaches to cell therapy, and the potential of omidubicel as an alternative to bone marrow transplant in leukemias and lymphomas.

A promising avenue of treatment in hematological malignancies is gene and cell therapy, although there is still much work to be done in improving safety and efficacy for patients. One company exploring these avenues is Gamida Cell, whose investigational agent omidubicel (NiCord) is currently being evaluated for these diseases as an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant solution.

Earlier this year at the Virtual 47th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, results from the phase 3 study (NCT02730299) of omidubicel showed that the treatment was associated with a significantly improved median time to neutrophil engraftment compared with standard umbilical cord blood transplantation in patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies.

Julian Adams, PhD, discusses approaches to cell therapy, and the potential of omidubicel as an alternative to bone marrow transplant in leukemias and lymphomas.

Dr. Adams on Improving Bone Marrow Transplant With Omidubicel

Julian Adams, PhD, the president of research and development at Infinity Pharmaceuticals, describes the mechanism of action for the experimental PI3 kinase delta/gamma inhibitor IPI-145 in hematologic malignancies. 

PI3 kinase, specifically the delta and gamma isoforms, are expressed ubiquitously on cells associated with the immune system, specifically B cells, T cells, and cells of myeloid origin. In general, Adams notes, PI3 kinase is the master regulator of cellular activation, proliferation, survival, and intracellular trafficking. It is utilized by hematologic malignancies for trafficking into the lymph cells, where the cancer survives.

Inhibiting PI3 kinase delta/gamma forces the cancer cells out of the lymph node microenvironment, Adams suggests. Once blocked from the lymph cells, the cancer is restricted to the peripheral blood, where it dies.

Julian Adams, PhD, from Infinity Pharmaceuticals, describes the mechanism of action for the experimental PI3 kinase delta/gamma inhibitor IPI-145 in hematologic malignancies. 

Julian Adams, PhD

Articles

Dr. Adams on Tackling Storage and Logistical Challenges in Cell Therapy

Dr. Adams on Improving Bone Marrow Transplant With Omidubicel

Julian Adams on the IPI-145 Mechanism of Action