The immune system can be a powerful tool to control cancer. Immune cells within our body detect cancer cells and release payloads that kill them. Transformative science in the last decade has led to the development of therapies that enhance the ability of our immune cells to carry out this function. These therapies, including checkpoint blockade and CAR-T cells, have been lifesaving for many patients that before had untreatable cancer. But, sadly, a majority of patients with advanced solid tumors still succumb to their disease.
Cancer care is at an inflection point. The traditional boundaries between academic and community oncology are dissolving, requiring a reimagined approach to patient care and clinical research. At City of Hope, we are implementing a national model that integrates breakthrough research with accessible, advanced treatment across diverse geographic regions.
Orca Bio, a late-stage biotechnology company, on March 17 announced results from the pivotal phase III Precision-T study of Orca-T, its lead investigational allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy, in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome and mixed-phenotype acute leukemia. Orca-T is manufactured using highly purified regulatory T-cells, hematopoietic stem cells and conventional T-cells derived from peripheral blood from either related or unrelated matched donors.