GC Cell Registers Patent for Solid Tumor-Targeted CAR-T Therapy

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[Asia Economy, reporter Park Hyungsoo] GC Cell, a developer of cell therapy products, announced on January 20 that it has completed domestic patent registration for a “mesothelin-specific chimeric antigen receptor and T cells expressing the same.”

A company representative stated, “The patented CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) features a novel mesothelin-binding domain that targets solid tumor antigens,” and added, “Unlike previous CAR-T therapies that use mouse-derived antibodies, which have shown disadvantages and limitations, this CAR includes human-derived antibodies.”

Mesothelin has recently emerged as one of the most notable cancer antigens in the field of CAR-T therapy targeting solid tumors. The results of a Phase 1 clinical trial targeting malignant mesothelioma, presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in April last year, have drawn global attention.

The representative also explained, “Solid tumors present a challenge because the tumor microenvironment leads to low T-cell infiltration, and even the T cells that do infiltrate have their immune functions suppressed. Currently approved therapies and most CAR-T therapies under development are limited to blood cancers, and progress in the solid tumor field remains insufficient.”

In May last year, GC Cell signed a contract with the Mogam Institute for Biomedical Research to introduce a mesothelin antibody capable of targeting tumor-specific antigens. Following the domestic patent registration, the company will proceed with a PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) application and begin full-scale clinical trials.

According to market research firm Coherent Market Insights, the global CAR-T therapy market was valued at $72 million in 2017. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 53.9% to reach $8.3 billion (approximately 960 billion KRW) by 2028.

Lee Deukjoo, CEO of GC Cell, stated, “Solid tumor CAR-T therapy is the most closely watched research field worldwide,” and expressed confidence, saying, “The candidate substance for which we have registered the patent has demonstrated the best safety and efficacy in our own research.” He added, “We are currently filing a PCT application and plan to use this patent as a stepping stone for entry into the U.S. market this year.”

GC Cell’s flagship product, Immuncell-LC, is manufactured by extracting immune cells from a patient’s own blood and enhancing their anti-cancer function through a specialized cultivation process. It is a new concept of immuno-oncology drug administered by injection. The company recorded cumulative sales of 26.7 billion KRW in the third quarter of last year. It is expected to become the first cell therapy product in Korea to achieve annual sales of over 30 billion KRW.

GC Cell is currently developing a pancreatic cancer CAR-T therapy as a next-generation immuno-oncology drug, utilizing the cell therapy technology accumulated through the development, commercialization, and production of Immuncell-LC.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.