Dr. Botta on the Rationale of Investigating CT041 in Gastric and Pancreatic Cancers

Gregory Botta, MD, PhD, medical oncologist, associate professor of medicine, University of California, San Diego Health (UCSD), discusses the rationale for investigating CT041 in patients with advanced gastric and pancreatic cancers in a phase 1b trial (NCT04404595). 

In the single-arm, open-label, multicenter study, investigators evaluated CT041, a Claudin18.2 (CLDN18.2)–specific CAR T-cell therapy, in patients with advanced gastric or pancreatic cancer.

Since these patients with gastric and pancreatic cancers failed or were intolerant to prior systemic therapies, the trial evaluated for a different mechanism of action with CT041, Botta say. Though chemotherapy can still be an option for these patients, its limited efficacy and unfavorable toxicity leaves an unmet need, Botta adds. Enrolled patients experienced as many as 6 previous lines of therapy, had comorbidities, and had a poor quality of life, Botta explains.

On the trial, investigators were able to get patients through treatment while eliciting responses in this difficult-to-treat population, Botta concludes.