Poolbeg’s cytokine release syndrome candidate shows potential

Data supports Poolbeg’s strategic expansion of POLB 001

Poolbeg – a company focused on innovative medicines – has announced promising in vivo results for POLB 001 in treating cancer immunotherapy-induced cytokine release syndrome (CRS).

The drug showed efficacy in significantly reducing the condition in an animal model with CRS symptoms.

The data further supports Poolbeg’s strategic expansion of the phase II-ready POLB 001 while the emerging results facilitate the expansion of patent applications for the therapy.

As an oral therapy to prevent or treat CRS, POLB 001 has the potential to enable a broader use of cancer immunotherapies in an outpatient setting.

Meanwhile, cancer immunotherapies are being developed through a considerable range of haematological malignancies, solid tumours and immune inflammatory diseases, which represents an even greater market opportunity.

Due to the CRS risk – which can be life threatening – administration of cancer immunotherapies, such as bispecific antibodies, is currently restricted to specialist cancer centres which limits uptake of effective therapies.

Dr Martin Kaiser, Associate Professor in Molecular Haematology at The Institute of Cancer Research, reflected: “Patients undergoing cancer immunotherapy treatment that suffer with CRS can be critically ill which, alongside a weakened immune system, can further increase their risk of infection.

He added: “Preventing CRS in the first instance would have a significant impact on patient health and wellbeing, as well as reducing the burden on the healthcare system.”

David Allmond, Chief Business Officer at Poolbeg Pharma, noted: “POLB 001 has the potential to revolutionise the impact of cancer immunotherapies by enabling safer and broader use in an outpatient setting, reducing healthcare resource utilisation and making these next generation cancer treatments more widely available to the patients that need them.

“The pharmaceutical sector is seeking an effective solution for CRS and, as an oral therapy, we believe there is a significant opportunity for POLB 001 to meet this critical unmet medical need and have a positive impact on global health.”