ROCKVILLE, MD. (PRWEB) SEPTEMBER 23, 2021: American Gene Technologies (AGT), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that the independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) in charge of the trial safety found no serious adverse events (SAEs) from the treatment for the second patient and voted unanimously to allow AGT’s HIV cure program to continue without modification. The third participant is expected to be infused by the first week of October.
“The DSMB’s green light is a huge step forward,” said AGT CEO Jeff Galvin. “Now that no SAEs have been observed in the second participant, we can start treating the third patient shortly and then proceed to open enrollment of additional patients soon thereafter. Safety is our primary focus as we continue to test participants’ tolerance for this cell therapy. But this DSMB announcement reinforces my hope and optimism about the future of AGT103-T in curing HIV.”
Designated as the RePAIR trial (Restore Potent Antiviral Immune Responses, NCT04561258), participants receive a single infusion of their own HIV-specific CD4 T cells after those cells were enriched and genetically modified to resist infection. Without any observed negative or adverse events, the trial can continue without adjustments or delays.
Phase 1 Trial Status
- Overview: AGT’s first-in-human study for AGT103-T is currently underway at trial sites in the Maryland / Washington, D.C. area. The Phase 1 trial is the company’s first step in clinical testing of cell and gene therapies for HIV, cancer, and rare diseases. Enrollment, product manufacturing and treatments are ongoing at AGT’s clinical trial sites. The recruitment status of the Phase 1 RePAIR clinical trial along with information on the trial sites can be found on the official ClinicalTrials.gov website.
- Focus: The primary endpoint is safety; testing related to secondary endpoints evaluates responses to treatment including changes in the immune response to HIV.
- Participant Criteria: Participants range in age from 18 to 60 and include males and females. Participants have been diagnosed with HIV for at least three years and are taking HIV antiretroviral medication for more than two years. Participants cannot be pregnant and must be available to attend 17 study visits over a 10-month period. Anticipated completion of treatments in the Phase 1 study is Q2 2022, although final data and long-term monitoring will be ongoing.
- Timeframe: Participants treated with AGT103-T are followed for 6 months in this safety study before enrolling in an FDA-mandated, 15-year, long-term follow up (required for all gene therapy trials). The first infusion occurred in May 2021, the second in August 2021, and the third is scheduled for September 2021. The Phase 1 study will include from 15 to 18 participants.
About HIV
According to UNAIDS, approximately 37.7 million people worldwide live with HIV/AIDS. In the United States, government statistics show 1.2 million people have HIV and estimate that 34,800 Americans were newly infected with HIV in 2019. Across the globe, UNAIDS estimates that approximately 1.5 million individuals were newly infected with HIV in 2020. The Washington D.C./Baltimore area is often cited as a ‘hot spot’ for HIV, with Washington, D.C., having the highest rate of infection at nearly 46 cases per 100,000 population and Baltimore City having rates of 17 cases per 100,000. Maryland also ranks sixth among U.S. states and territories in HIV diagnosis rates, with more than 900 new cases in 2019 alone, according to the Maryland Department of Health.
Since the late 1980s, antiretroviral drugs have restored quality of life to persons living with HIV and, in some cases, have even been used to prevent new infections. However, no approved treatment has demonstrated the ability to cure HIV. AGT is committed to addressing this unmet medical need.
About AGT103-T
AGT103-T is a genetically modified cell product made from a person’s own cells. AGT’s unique approach focuses on repairing the key immune system damage caused by HIV. AGT’s goal is to develop a cell and gene therapy capable of repairing the immune system so it will provide natural control over HIV replication.
About American Gene Technologies
AGT is a gene and cell therapy company with a proprietary gene-delivery platform for rapid development of cell and gene therapies to cure infectious diseases, cancers, and inherited disorders. AGT’s mission is to transform people’s lives through genetic medicines that rid the body of disease. AGT has been granted four patents for the technology used to make AGT103-T and 11 patents for its unique immuno-oncology approach to stimulate gamma-delta (γδ) T cells to destroy a variety of solid tumors. The company has developed a synthetic gene for treating Phenylketonuria (PKU), a debilitating inherited disease. AGT’s treatment for PKU has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it is expected to reach the clinic in 2022.
Video: https://youtu.be/fiA2s7JCkJ8
Source : American Gene Technologies
Related HIV and Co-Infections News
Get involved
Are you living with HIV/AIDS? Are you part of a community affected by HIV/AIDS and co-infections? Do you work or volunteer in the field? Are you motivated by our cause and interested to support our work?
Subscribe
Stay in the loop and get all the important EATG updates in your inbox with the EATG newsletter. The HIV & co-infections bulletin is your source of handpicked news from the field arriving regularly to your inbox.