A London-based startup is set to trial a drug at six NHS hospitals that could prevent a life-threatening side effect in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy. Poolbeg Pharma's oral medication, POLB 001, aims to make blood cancer treatment safer by blocking cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a condition where the immune system overreacts and attacks the body, potentially causing organ damage.
How the Drug Works
The drug targets a specific cell signaling pathway to keep the immune system in check. Patients would take it at home before starting cancer therapy, reducing the risk of CRS. Currently, no approved therapy exists for preventing CRS, which affects about 70% of those receiving immunotherapies from companies like Johnson & Johnson, Gilead, Novartis, and AstraZeneca.
Clinical Trial Details
The upcoming trial will involve 30 patients treated with Johnson & Johnson's blood cancer medication teclistamab (Tecvayli) at six UK hospitals. Led by the University of Manchester and the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, the study aims to gather interim data by summer's end. Poolbeg acquired the drug from Spain's Palau Pharma, where it was originally developed for chronic inflammation.
Potential Benefits for Patients and the NHS
By preventing CRS, the drug could allow patients to receive treatment in community hospitals rather than centralized specialist cancer centers, reducing costs and expanding access. Jeremy Skillington, Poolbeg's CEO, noted that patients in rural areas often must travel to major cities for treatment due to the risk of CRS. The NHS, already under strain, could save millions by avoiding intensive care admissions.
Market Potential
Poolbeg estimates that by 2031, around half a million people in the US and top five European countries diagnosed with multiple myeloma or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma will receive immunotherapy. At a potential price of $20,000 per treatment, the market could be worth $10 billion. Current immunotherapies cost $300,000 to $400,000 per course.
Other Developments
Poolbeg is also developing a GLP-1 weight loss pill in collaboration with Irish firm AnaBio Technologies. An early-stage trial in 20 volunteers with a BMI over 30 will start later this year, led by Dr. Carel Le Roux of Ulster University.
Company Background
Poolbeg Pharma, named after the Poolbeg peninsula in Dublin by co-founder Cathal Friel, was spun out of clinical research organization hVIVO in July 2021. It listed on the London Stock Exchange's Aim market, raising £25 million. hVIVO traces its roots to Retroscreen Virology, founded in 1989 by Prof John Oxford at Queen Mary University of London.
Skillington emphasized that reducing the burden on the NHS is the ultimate goal, as the system is "bursting at the seams" under cost and demand pressures.
