Kite, a Gilead Company and Arcellx, Inc. announced several key operational updates on their partnered anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel) multiple myeloma program. Anito-cel is the first BCMA CAR T to be investigated in multiple myeloma that utilizes Arcellx?s novel and compact D-Domain binder. The companies shared the design of a global, Phase 3 randomized controlled clinical trial, iMMagine-3, which Kite expects to startin the second half of this year.

The trial will compare the efficacy and safety of anito-cel randomized against the standard of care (SOC) in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (rrMM) who have received one to three prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory drug (lMiD) and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. Kite?s facility in Frederick, Maryland will manufacture anito-cel for this trial. This follows the completion of the technical transfer from a third-party contract manufacturing organization to Kite, as well as the transfer of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for anito-cel, which has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

iMMagine-3 is a phase 3, randomized controlled trial designed to compare the efficacy and safety of anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel) with SOC in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (rrMM) who have received one to three prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory drug (lMiD) and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. iMMagine-3 will enroll approximately 450 adult patients. Prior to randomization, investigator?s choice of SOC regimens include: pomalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (PVd); daratumumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (DPd); carfilzomib, daratumumab and dexamethasone (KDd); or carfilzomib and dexamethasone (Kd).

Patients in the anito-cel arm will undergo leukapheresis and optional bridging therapy (with the SOC regimen selected by the investigator prior to randomization) followed by lymphodepleting chemotherapy (fludarabine 30 mg/m2/d and cyclophosphamide 300 mg/m2/d for 3 days) and one infusion of anito-cel (115×106 CAR+ T cells) on Day 1. The primary endpoint is progression free survival (PFS) per blinded independent review according to the 2016 IMWG uniform response criteria for MM with the hypothesis that anito-cel will prolong PFS compared to SOC. Key secondary endpoints include complete response rate (CR/sCR), minimal residual disease negativity, overall survival, and safety. The iMMagine-3 trial is expected to initiate in the second half of 2024 at ~130 study sites across North America, Europe, and rest of world.