NKGen Biotech Inc (Nasdaq:NKGN), a developer of autologous and allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell therapeutics, on Friday announced the administration of troculeucel, an expanded autologous NK cell therapy, to a frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patient under a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared compassionate use programme.

This marks a key step in exploring potential treatment options for FTD, a disease with no available therapies that slow or halt progression.

Approximately 60,000 people in the United States have FTD, with up to 40% of cases linked to genetic factors. The treated patient carries the C9orf72 gene mutation, a known contributor to the disease.

NKGen is collaborating with Mario Mendez, M.D., Ph.D., and Jessica Rexach, M.D., Ph.D., at UCLA to investigate the therapeutic potential of troculeucel. This single compassionate use case may inform a future Investigational New Drug (IND) application.

The patient will receive routine assessments by Dr. Mendez at UCLA while undergoing troculeucel infusions at the Sarcoma Oncology Center under the supervision of Dr. Sant Chawla and Dr. Erlinda Gordon.