Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (MRKR), a leader in immuno-oncology, announced on Tuesday that it has received a $9.5 million grant from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). This funding is designated to facilitate the clinical research of MT-601 for patients grappling with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The CPRIT grant will aid the Phase 1 PANACEA study, which focuses on assessing the safety and tolerability of MT-601. This product is a specialized T cell treatment targeting multiple tumor-associated antigens (multiTAA) in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The company's flagship product, MT-601, is primarily under investigation for patients with CD19-CAR relapsed lymphoma. Owing to its capability to recognize a wide array of targets, Marker Therapeutics is exploring the broader application of MT-601 for individuals with solid tumors.
Support for utilizing MT-601 in addressing solid tumors comes from preliminary efficacy findings of a previous study at Baylor College of Medicine. This study involved multiTAA-specific T cells administered to pancreatic cancer patients alongside standard chemotherapy.
With the addition of this CPRIT grant, Marker Therapeutics has secured over $30 million in non-dilutive financial backing from governmental bodies, including the FDA, NIH, and CPRIT.
