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News
A new cell therapy, APN401, is turning patients' own immune cells into cancer fighters — and early results look encouraging. In a Phase 1 trial of 17 heavily pre-treated patients with advanced solid tumors, the treatment was well tolerated with no serious side effects, and half of evaluable patients achieved disease stabilization. The therapy works by temporarily silencing a key immune "brake," helping the immune system better attack tumors.
Biotech company invIOs has published Phase 1 clinical data on APN401, an autologous cell therapy designed to supercharge patients' own immune cells against cancer. The findings, published in Molecular Therapy Oncology, come from two Phase 1 studies in patients with advanced, treatment-refractory solid tumors — people who had already tried two to eleven prior lines of therapy.
APN401 works by temporarily silencing CBL-B, a protein that acts as a natural "brake" on the immune system, using a technique called siRNA. With that brake released, the re-infused immune cells are better equipped to recognize and attack tumor cells, even in the immunosuppressive environment tumors create.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: For patients who've exhausted standard treatment options, APN401 offers a potentially safer alternative to existing cell therapies — with no cytokine release syndrome or serious neurological side effects observed. The rapid, decentralized manufacturing process could also make this therapy more accessible than traditional cell therapies, which often require complex, centralized production.
