Nanjing-based IASO Bio Achieves Major Scientific Breakthrough with BCMA-Targeted CAR-T Therapy for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Published in Cell

Nanjing News Network (Reporter Li Du, Correspondent Qian Yuling) On October 16, IASO Bio, a biopharmaceutical company in our city, announced that the research results of its self-developed fully human BCMA-targeted CAR-T cell therapy, Idecabtagene Vicleucel Injection, for the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis, were published online in the top international academic journal "Cell," marking a significant scientific breakthrough in this field.

IASO Bio, established in 2017 and headquartered in the Nanjing Biopharmaceutical Valley, is a biotechnology company focused on the development of cell-based drugs for hematological tumors and antibody drugs. The company currently has more than 10 products in its development pipeline. On June 30, 2023, its first self-developed Class 1 innovative drug, Equecabtagene Autoleucel Injection, was approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Since its market launch, it has benefited hundreds of patients.

"This achievement, published in an international top-tier journal, signifies that Ixcellen Injection has made a significant breakthrough in treating autoimmune diseases beyond multiple myeloma," introduced the R&D personnel of IASO Bio. Multiple sclerosis is a neuroinflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system, leading to demyelination and neuronal damage, and is one of the most common causes of non-traumatic disability among young adults (aged 18 to 40). The Investigational New Drug (IND) application for using Ixcellen Injection to treat multiple sclerosis was approved by the U.S. FDA in July 2024. Currently, the product's development is still in the early exploratory clinical research stage.

It is reported that this research was jointly initiated by IASO Bio and Professor Wang Wei's team from the Department of Neurology at Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. The study enrolled five patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. After all patients received a single infusion of Equecabtagene Autoleucel Injection, significant efficacy and good safety were observed.

Professor Wang Wei stated, "This research achievement is the world's first to confirm the safety and efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy in treating progressive multiple sclerosis, marking an important step forward in the field of cell therapy. It not only disrupts existing treatment paradigms but also opens new directions for immunotherapy in chronic neuroinflammatory diseases."

Equecabtagene Autoleucel Injection is a China-produced self-developed CAR-T product, and the research team is a Chinese team. This scientific achievement demonstrates that China's strength in the field of cell therapy is already globally leading. Zhang Jinhua, founder, chairman, and CEO of IASO Bio, stated, "Autoimmune diseases are one of the key areas IASO Bio focuses on. Currently, Equecabtagene Autoleucel Injection has been approved for multiple autoimmune indications clinical trials in both China and the U.S., covering diseases such as multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. In the future, IASO Bio will continue to accelerate its global presence, relying on a complete self-developed and production system to promote the clinical transformation of more innovative cell therapies, bringing fundamental therapeutic breakthroughs to patients with autoimmune diseases."