#China #Shanghai #CAR-T therapy #IASO Bio #Myeloma Treatment

IASO Bio's Groundbreaking Work on IASO206

IASO Biotechnology, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to advancing innovative therapies, has recently presented groundbreaking first-in-human data on its BCMA-targeted in vivo CAR-T cell therapy, known as IASO206. This announcement was made during the 2026 International Myeloma Society (IMS) Annual Meeting, signaling a significant step forward in the treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM).

Overview of IASO206

IASO206 offers a transformative approach to CAR-T therapy by generating functional BCMA-directed CAR-T cells directly in patients through a single intravenous infusion, eliminating the need for ex vivo cell manufacturing. This innovative delivery method does away with lymphodepleting chemotherapy, a process traditionally required in other CAR-T therapies, thereby reducing the complexity of treatment protocols.

The initial results indicate a 90% overall response rate (ORR), with both an objective response rate and a minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity rate reaching 100% in the high-dose cohort.

Patient Population and Study Design

In this investigator-initiated trial, participants consisted of ten heavily pre-treated patients with a median of three prior therapy lines. A vast 90% of these patients presented with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities, including 70% classified as ultra-high-risk, suggesting a particularly challenging cohort. The three evaluable dose levels of IASO206 included: 1×10⁸, 3×10⁸, and 9×10⁸ transducing units (TU).

Significant Results

The study highlighted the robust in vivo expansion of CAR-positive cells following infusion, with most patients retaining CAR-T cells detectable up to six months post-treatment. The trial reported no dose-limiting toxicities or treatment-related deaths, illustrating a generally manageable safety profile. While some patients experienced mild infusion-related reactions, the majority had manageable grade ≤ 2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS).

Dr. Wenqiang Yan from the Institute of Hematology—Blood Diseases Hospital, who presented this data, expressed optimism about the therapeutic potential of IASO206 for patients facing limited options due to their disease characteristics.

Moving Forward

Given the encouraging preliminary evidence, IASO Bio expresses eagerness to further explore IASO206's efficacy and safety in future studies. Yongke Zhang, the Chief Scientific Officer of IASO Bio, emphasized the significance of these findings, as the ability to administer CAR-T therapy earlier in treatment paradigms, including in first-line settings, could be transformative for patient outcomes.

The results provide a promising outlook for IASO Bio’s innovative in vivo CAR-T platform, InTelliCAR™, as the company continues to advance not only IASO206 but also its other investigational therapies, with aspirations to explore broader applications in treating various hematologic malignancies and possibly autoimmune diseases.

As further follow-ups and evaluations take place, the hope is to characterize the depth and durability of responses from IASO206, ultimately aiming to address a significant unmet need in the challenging landscape of multiple myeloma treatment.