Abecma
idecabtagene vicleucel · BCMA CAR-TNo single or repeat-dose in vivo toxicity studies; no appropriate animal model for autologous human CAR-T cells
Aucatzyl: what flexibility did regulators accept, and why?
obecabtagene autoleucel · CD19 CAR-T
Flexibility accepted
SpeciesAccepted
No general toxicity studies; no pharmacologically relevant species for human CAR T cells
Why: No pharmacologically relevant species in which T cells engraft and reliable on- and off-target toxicity data can be obtained · No relevant species · Within the guideline
“Per the applicant, conventional nonclinical toxicology studies were not conducted because they do not yield clinically relevant information for a CAR T cell product.”
“Considering the type of product and the absence of pharmacologically relevant animal species in which T cells can engraft and reliable on- and off-target toxicity data can be obtained, the lack of general toxicity studies can be endorsed.”
Safety pharmacologyAcceptedBeyond the letter
No safety pharmacology studies conducted
Why: Safety risks are immune related, so studies in immunocompromised animals are of limited relevance · No relevant species
“Given the fact that safety aspects with this type of therapy are immune related, a toxicity study in immune compromised animal is of limited relevance. Lack of safety pharmacology testing is acceptable.”
BiodistributionAccepted
No traditional pharmacokinetic or biodistribution studies; distribution data only from xenograft pharmacology study
Why: Autologous gene therapy product with no pharmacologically relevant species · No relevant species · Within the guideline
“Traditional non-clinical pharmacokinetic studies (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and in vitro drug-drug interaction) have not been conducted because obe-cel is an autologous gene therapy product and there is no pharmacologically relevant species. This is agreed.”
GenotoxicityAcceptedBeyond the letter
No genotoxicity or insertion site analysis; literature-based insertional mutagenesis risk evaluation instead
Why: Third-generation self-inactivating lentiviral vector, release criterion, long-term clinical monitoring for insertional mutagenesis · Weight of evidence · Class precedent · Human data
“No nonclinical genotoxicity studies were conducted with obe-cel based on the genotoxic risks associated with the third-generation self-inactivating lentiviral vector used to produce obe-cel, acceptable release criterion, and inclusion of long-term clinical monitoring for insertional mutagenesis and clonality.”
“The literature-based risk evaluation of insertional mutagenesis instead of actual insertion site analysis is sufficient from a non-clinical perspective.”
Same question, other cell therapies
Alofisel
darvadstrocel · Allogeneic adipose MSCNo reproductive and developmental toxicity studies
Amtagvi
lifileucel · TIL therapyNo nonclinical pharmacology studies with the product; published data on similar murine and human tumor-derived T lymphocytes cited instead
Breyanzi
lisocabtagene maraleucel · CD19 CAR-TNo pharmacologically relevant species; no conventional single- or repeat-dose toxicity, local tolerance or other traditional studies
Carvykti
ciltacabtagene autoleucel · BCMA CAR-TNo GLP-compliant formal toxicology studies and no repeat-dose study; no relevant animal species
ChondroCelect
characterised viable autologous cartilage cells · Autologous chondrocytesAll nonclinical studies non-GLP, run as combined pharmacodynamic/distribution/toxicity studies in nude mice, sheep and goats
Ebvallo
tabelecleucel · EBV-specific allogeneic T cellsNo single- or repeat-dose toxicity studies; no relevant animal model for an HLA-restricted human T-cell product
Encelto
revakinagene taroretcel · CNTF (encapsulated RPE cell implant)No carcinogenicity/tumorigenicity studies; waived on toxicological risk assessments of rhCNTF and residual medium
Gintuit
allogeneic cultured keratinocytes and fibroblasts in bovine collagen · Allogeneic keratinocytes + fibroblastsICH toxicology package (chronic toxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, DART, safety pharmacology, immunotoxicity) not conducted; partly covered by device biocompatibility testing
Holoclar
autologous corneal epithelial cells containing limbal stem cells · Autologous limbal stem cellsNo in vivo toxicity studies (single dose, repeat dose, immunogenicity); no suitable animal model
Kymriah
tisagenlecleucel · CD19 CAR-TNo single-dose or standard toxicity studies: patient-specific human cell product cannot be given to immunocompetent animals
Lantidra
donislecel · Allogeneic pancreatic isletsNo nonclinical studies with the product; published islet-transplant literature in rodents and monkeys relied on instead
Laviv
azficel-T · Autologous fibroblastsNo preclinical studies of any kind with the product; relied on prior commercial human use and published literature
MACI
autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane · Autologous chondrocytesNo carcinogenicity/tumorigenicity studies
Omisirge
omidubicel · Expanded cord blood HPCIn vivo studies described as GLP lacked QA statements, facility information and deviation reports
Provenge
sipuleucel-T · PAP-GM-CSF (autologous APC)No conventional toxicology or pharmacokinetic studies; risk-based approach justification instead
Rethymic
allogeneic processed thymus tissue · Allogeneic thymus tissueNo nonclinical toxicology studies: no relevant animal species or model
Ryoncil
remestemcel-L · Allogeneic BM-MSCNonclinical studies used surrogate animal-derived MSC and human MSC from an early manufacturing process, not the commercial product
Spherox
spheroids of autologous matrix-associated chondrocytes · Autologous chondrocyte spheroidsNo long-term toxicity data: pivotal 9-month GLP sheep study failed through loss of the implants
StrataGraft
allogeneic cultured keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts in murine collagen · Allogeneic keratinocytes + fibroblastsToxicity assessed only in immunodeficient mice, with significant study design and data limitations
Tecartus
brexucabtagene autoleucel · CD19 CAR-TNo relevant animal model; no GLP formal toxicology studies, only safety observations in a syngeneic mouse surrogate model
Tecelra
afamitresgene autoleucel · MAGE-A4 TCR-TNo in vivo single- or repeat-dose toxicity studies; no appropriate animal model for human TCR-engineered T cells
Tregzi
allogeneic Treg immunotherapy with HSPC and T cells (Orca-T) · Allogeneic Treg + HSPC + TconNo nonclinical toxicology studies; safety supported by clinical data with a similar cell product
Yescarta
axicabtagene ciloleucel · CD19 CAR-TNo toxicology studies with the product; no relevant animal model, murine surrogate CAR-T used for pharmacology
Zalmoxis
allogeneic T cells modified with HSV-TK / dLNGFR (nalotimagene carmaleucel) · HSV-TK suicide-gene T cellsNo conventional toxicology studies; safety read from two immunodeficient-mouse GvHD pharmacology models
Zemcelpro
dorocubicel · UM171-expanded cord blood CD34+UM171 toxicity studies in rats (single dose) and monkeys (three doses) not GLP-compliant