Poolbeg Pharma announced that the POLB 001 TOPICAL trial is to feature in a cancer immunotherapy-induced cytokine release syndrome ("CRS") research programme. Poolbeg will act as the lead business partner, alongside Johnson & Johnson and other partners, on The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust research programme supported by a PS3.4 million Prosperity Partnership grant from the Medical Research Council ("MRC"). The programme, titled RISE (Reducing Immune Stress from Excess cytokine release in advanced therapies), will facilitate wider research into cancer immunotherapy-induced CRS and the safer delivery of these treatments.
Central to the RISE programme will be the previously announced POLB 001 TOPical trial, for which Johnson & Johnson will provide the approved bispecific antibody, teclistamab. RISE will not impact the delivery of data from the POLB 001 clinical trial, anticipated in summer 2026. Poolbeg's participation in this programme will not impact the Company's cash runway into 2027.
The programme includes the collection of clinical data from patients treated with bispecific antibodies and CAR T-cell therapies and will involve additional research beyond the TOPICAL trial into the potential of POLB 001 to prevent cancer immunotherapy-induced C RS. The programme reflects the growing recognition of the unmet medical need in the management of CRS and other serious adverse effects, which is a significant bottleneck to the broader availability and uptake of these breakthrough cancer immunotherapies. The RISE programme will be under the leadership of Dr Jonathan Lim, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist in Advanced Immunotherapy and Cell Therapy and conducted at The University of Manchester and The Chris.
The forward-looking statements in this announcement are based on numerous assumptions and Poolbeg's present and future business strategies and the environment in which Poolbeg expects to operate in the future.
