Anixa Biosciences has advanced its Phase 1 clinical trial of an experimental CAR-T therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer, treating the first patient in the study’s fifth and highest dose cohort to date. Conducted at Moffitt Cancer Center, the trial is evaluating a therapy that targets the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), a protein found on ovarian cancer cells but with limited expression in healthy tissues. The dose-escalation study is primarily designed to assess safety and tolerability while also monitoring for early signs of clinical activity in patients with advanced, heavily pretreated disease.
The latest participant received the highest dose evaluated so far, marking an important milestone in the trial’s progression. According to the company, no dose-limiting toxicities have been observed across any of the previous treatment cohorts, supporting continued dose escalation. While the study remains in its early stages, Anixa also reported encouraging survival data, noting that several treated patients have lived for more than a year following therapy, with one patient surviving for more than two years despite having recurrent ovarian cancer that had progressed after multiple prior treatments.
Ovarian cancer remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat once it recurs, and patients with advanced disease often have limited therapeutic options and poor prognoses. By targeting a receptor that is largely restricted to ovarian tumor cells, the investigational CAR-T therapy is designed to improve treatment specificity while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Although larger studies will be needed to determine effectiveness, the absence of significant safety issues alongside early survival signals provides initial support for continued development of the therapy as the trial moves into higher dose levels.
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