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New Drug Trial to Prevent Cancer Therapy Side Effect
14 Jun
Summary
- A new drug, POLB 001, will be trialled in six NHS hospitals.
- The drug aims to prevent cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in cancer patients.
- Poolbeg Pharma is also developing a GLP-1 weight loss pill.
Poolbeg Pharma is set to begin trials of its oral drug, POLB 001, at six NHS hospitals. This new treatment is designed to prevent cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a severe and potentially fatal side effect of cancer immunotherapy.
CRS occurs when the immune system's response becomes excessive, leading to organ damage. Approximately 70% of patients receiving certain immunotherapies experience CRS. Currently, there is no approved therapy to prevent its onset.
The trial, involving 30 participants receiving Johnson & Johnson's teclistamab, will be conducted at leading UK hospitals. This initiative by Poolbeg Pharma could significantly enhance the safety of cancer treatments and reduce the financial burden on healthcare systems by enabling outpatient care.
In addition to its CRS prevention drug, Poolbeg Pharma is advancing a GLP-1 weight loss pill through trials. This second project, a collaboration with AnaBio Technologies, is expected to enter early-stage testing with 20 healthy volunteers later this year.
