Mainz, Germany, 19 March 2024 – ActiTrexx GmbH, a clinical-stage company focusing on the activation of regulatory T cells, has treated the first patient with Actileucel, its novel cell therapy for the prevention and treatment of Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) in patients receiving an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant as treatment for haematological malignancies such as acute leukemia. Actileucel is generated by activating regulatory T cells isolated from an unmatched, third-party donor via a fast proprietary process with a vein-to-vein time of 24 hours.
GvHD is a severe and potentially life-threatening complication that can arise after an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and affects about 50 % of recipients. GvHD occurs when the stem cell donor’s T cells attack the patient’s tissues, leading to a range of symptoms that can affect the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and liver. Currently, immunosuppressants are used to treat GvHD, but they have limited effectiveness and come with severe side effects. Consequently, the 3-year mortality rate of GvHD patients remains high. Actileucel uses activated regulatory T cells from a second donor, who does not need to match the patient’s tissue markers, to control or prevent GvHD.