Cellect Announces Successful First Cancer Patient Stem Cell Transplant

Cellect Biotechnology Ltd. recently announced that the first stem cell transplant procedure has been successfully performed using its ApoGraft technology in the company’s Phase I/II clinical trial in a blood cancer patient.

Up to 50% of stem cell transplant procedures, such as bone marrow transplants, result in life-threatening rejection disease, known as Graft-versus-Host-Disease (GvHD). Cellect’s ApoGraft technology is aiming to turn stem cell transplants into a simple, safe, and cost-effective process, reducing the associated severe side effects, such as rejection and many other risks.

“After 15 years of research, this is the first time we have used our technology on a cancer patient suffering from life-threatening conditions. It is a first good step on a road that we hope will lead to stem cell-based regenerative medicine becoming a safe commodity treatment at every hospital in the world,” said Dr. Shai Yarkoni, Cellect’s CEO.

Based on the successful transplantation results, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) approved the enrollment of two additional patients for ApoGraft treatment to complete the first study cohort as planned.

Despite improved prophylactic regimens, acute GvHD disease still occurs in 25% to 50% of recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The incidence of GvHD in recipients of allogeneic stem cells transplantation is increasing due to the increased number of allogeneic transplantations survivors, older recipient age, use of alternative donor grafts, and use of peripheral blood stem cells. GvHD accounts for 15% of deaths after allogeneic stem cell transplantation and is considered the leading cause of non-relapse mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

The ApoGraft01 study (Clinicaltrails.gov identifier: NCT02828878), is an open label, staggered four-cohort, Phase I/II, safety and proof-of-concept study of ApoGraft process in the prevention of acute GvHD. The study, which will enroll 12 patients, aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the ApoGraft process in patients suffering from hematological malignancies undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation from a matched related donor.

Cellect Biotechnology has developed a breakthrough technology for the isolation of stem cells from any given tissue that aims to improve a variety of stem cell applications. The company’s technology is expected to provide pharma companies, medical research centers, and hospitals with the tools to rapidly isolate stem cells in quantity and quality that will allow stem cell-related treatments and procedures. Cellect’s technology is applicable to a wide variety of stem cell-related treatments in regenerative medicine and that current clinical trials are aimed at the cancer treatment of bone marrow transplantations. For more information, visit www.cellect.co.