KLN-1010 is the first anti-BCMA in vivo CAR-T program studied in a multi-center clinical trial
KLN-1010 is administered directly to patients without apheresis, ex vivo manufacturing or lymphodepletion
Kelonia Therapeutics, Inc., a biotech company revolutionizing in vivo gene delivery, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in the inMMyCAR study, a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating KLN-1010, a novel in vivo gene therapy that generates anti-BCMA CAR-T cells, in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.
“KLN-1010 offers hope to multiple myeloma patients who can’t access today’s CAR-T cell therapies,” said Kevin Friedman, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Kelonia. “This first-in-human dosing marks a major milestone toward a future where CAR-T benefits can be delivered without preparative chemotherapy or bespoke manufacturing delays, and at virtually any hospital around the world. Beginning our Phase 1 inMMyCAR study is not only pivotal for patients, but for the entire field. It’s the starting point for transforming CAR-T cell therapies with our in vivo Gene Placement System (iGPS®) technology.”
Professor Simon Harrison, MBBS, MRCP(UK), FRCPath(UK), FRACP, Ph.D., Director of the Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia and inMMyCAR Lead Investigator, added, “Multiple myeloma can be a challenging disease to treat as most patients experience relapse after initial treatment, and many become resistant to currently available therapies. In vivo CAR-T cell therapies would be transformative for these patients, providing rapid access to potentially life-saving treatments. We’re at a pivotal moment, in which we’re taking important steps to make such therapies a reality in Australia through highly novel clinical trials, and I’m proud to play a role in ushering in these innovative therapies.”
inMMyCAR is a multi-center Phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial designed to assess the safety and preliminary efficacy of a single dose of KLN-1010. The first patient was dosed at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia, by inMMyCAR Investigator, Professor Joy Ho, MB.BS. (Hons), D.Phil (Oxon), FRACP, FRCPA, FFSc (RCPA).
“Dosing the first patient in the inMMyCAR Phase 1 study is a tremendous milestone and marks significant advancement towards bringing KLN-1010 to patients who need it most,” said Professor Ho. “I and my team are proud to have achieved this proficiently. As an in vivo CAR-T cell therapeutic candidate, KLN-1010 has the potential to deliver the full promise of CAR-T cell therapies without the complex manufacturing requirements, lengthy production timelines and toxic lymphodepleting chemotherapy that ex vivo CAR-T cell therapies require. We believe it has the potential to revolutionize CAR-T therapy in myeloma.”
About inMMyCAR
inMMyCAR is a Phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacology and preliminary efficacy of a single dose of KLN-1010 in up to 40 patients. The primary endpoints are incidence and severity of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), including dose limiting toxicities (DLTs), and to establish the recommended Phase 2 dose of KLN-1010. KLN-1010 has been granted Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval and Clinical Trial Notification (CTN) clearance by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This Phase 1 clinical trial marks the first time KLN‑1010 will be evaluated in humans. Additional information and study site information may be found on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT07075185).
About Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy characterized by the proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow, leading to bone destruction, anemia, renal dysfunction, and immunosuppression. It is driven by complex genetic and epigenetic alterations that promote malignant cell survival and resistance to apoptosis. Relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma is characterized by clonal evolution, drug resistance, and increased disease heterogeneity, heightening the need for accessible, personalized therapeutic strategies.
About KLN-1010
KLN‑1010 is an investigational in vivo gene therapy that generates anti-BCMA CAR-T cells, targeting a protein expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. Unlike traditional CAR‑T treatments, KLN‑1010 is administered to patients via direct transfusion and is designed to generate durable CAR‑T cells inside the body after a single dose, potentially eliminating the need for long wait times to receive treatment. This may overcome several limitations faced by current CAR-T approaches, including limited access to treatment and preconditioning chemotherapy.
About Kelonia Therapeutics
Kelonia is pioneering a new wave of genetic medicines using its in vivo gene placement system (iGPS®). The company’s elegant, cutting-edge in vivo gene delivery technology uses an advanced lentiviral vector particle harboring envelope modification to improve in vivo gene transfer efficiency and tropism molecules to facilitate tissue-specific delivery. Initially focused on developing transformational in vivo CAR-T therapies for hematologic cancers, Kelonia is building a pipeline of genetic medicines for a range of diseases, with the bold goal of making genetic medicines accessible to every patient in need, when and where they need them. Learn more about Kelonia at https://www.keloniatx.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
inMMyCAR, iGPS, and Kelonia are trademarks of Kelonia Therapeutics, Inc.
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