Biopharmaceutical group Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc (LSE: HEMO) revealed on Monday that it has opened the first clinical site for its Phase I trial of HG-CT-1, a CAR-T cell therapy targeting relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) in adults. Patient recruitment has now commenced.

The trial, designed as a dose-escalation study, aims to evaluate the safety profile of HG-CT-1 in R/R AML patients. Key secondary objectives include assessing the therapy's impact on efficacy, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and duration of response (DoR) in patients who achieve clinical responses.

AML is a particularly aggressive form of leukemia with poor survival rates, and existing treatments are limited. HG-CT-1 offers a promising alternative, harnessing CAR-T therapy to modify a patient's T-cells to target cancer cells.

The initiation of this trial marks a significant milestone for Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals, advancing its lead asset into clinical testing at a renowned cancer research institution. The company is headquartered in London and has US operations in New York City, focusing on innovative treatments for blood and autoimmune diseases.