The new cancer drug, agenT-797, discovered by scientists from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), shows promise in improving the prognosis for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), particularly those whose lungs have been severely damaged by Covid-19.
ARDS is a severe and life-threatening condition characterized by impaired lung function, often observed in individuals who have experienced a severe Covid-19 infection. The innovative cell therapy, agenT-797, offers a new approach to treating ARDS by targeting specific cellular pathways involved in the disease process.
The research team at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) conducted trials on 20 mechanically-ventilated patients who were suffering from severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to Covid-19. Despite agenT-797 being primarily developed as a cancer drug, the researchers investigated its potential application for other conditions. The trials revealed that agenT-797 triggered an anti-inflammatory response in patients, which could potentially stimulate the immune system to combat infections.
In the trial, 70 percent of the patients who received agenT-797 survived at 30 days, in contrast to only 10 percent survival in the control group. Furthermore, those who received the highest dosage of agenT-797 were 80 percent less likely to develop bacterial pneumonia compared to those who received the lowest dosage.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Communications, elucidated that the mechanism of action of the cell therapy involved the rescue of “exhausted” T cells and elicited an anti-inflammatory response.
Justin Stebbing, the lead author of the study and professor of Biomedical Sciences at ARU, noted that during the small exploratory study, they observed that the cell treatment, also being developed for cancer patients, stimulated an anti-inflammatory response in ARDS patients.
He further stated, “Despite a poor prognosis, critically-ill patients treated with this therapy showed favorable mortality rates, and those treated at the highest dose also had reduced rates of pneumonia.”
This highlights the potential of agenT-797 for broader applications in treating viral diseases and infections,” he continued.Furthermore, Professor Stebbing noted that agenT-797 demonstrated a more favorable safety profile compared to other forms of cell therapy and had a rapid manufacturing process.
“AgenT-797 was manufactured rapidly and, unlike using patients’ own cells, it is ‘off-the-shelf’ and made from healthy donors’ cells,” explained Professor Stebbing.He emphasized, “The potential of this therapy to be utilized across various severe infections warrants randomized controlled trials.”
Dr. Marc van Dijk, Chief Scientific Officer at MiNK and co-author of the study, emphasized the significance of the published findings, stating, “These findings reinforce the unique power and potential of iNKT cells to mitigate severe acute respiratory distress.”
He highlighted the data demonstrating agenT-797’s encouraging survival benefit, its ability to assist in clearing secondary infections, and its tolerable administration in ventilated patients and those on VV-ECMO support.