According to STAT, Immatics presented early data at a major European oncology conference from a Phase 1 study of 16 patients with uveal melanoma, a rare eye cancer. Every patient in the trial saw their tumors shrink after receiving the experimental cell therapy — a striking result, though the data are preliminary.
Oncologist Sapna Patel, who presented the findings, said the approach could be taken forward in other areas of oncology. The reason, STAT reports, is that going after the therapy's target might make immunotherapy effective in cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian tumors that have so far resisted such treatment.
Immatics, a German biotech formed 26 years ago, now faces the challenge of turning these early signals into an approved medicine. Its CEO is confident about an upcoming melanoma readout, according to STAT. The article draws on one source, so there are no differing accounts to note.