A first person has been dosed with the investigational therapy, AlloNK® (also known as AB-101) for treatment of lupus nephritis, (LN, lupus-related kidney disease). This is the first time a person in the US has received an allogeneic NK cell (natural killer cell, a type of white blood cell that plays a critical role in the immune system, particularly in the detection and elimination of abnormal cells without prior sensitization) therapy.
AlloNK is a type of therapy made from natural killer (NK) cells, which are part of the immune system. It is designed to boost the efficacy of B-cell targeting monoclonal antibodies, which are used in treating diseases like LN by reducing the quantity of immune system cells involved in the production of autoantibodies and lupus disease activity. Unlike some other treatments, AlloNK is stored frozen and administered without complicated follow-up procedures. The therapy’s design is made without genetic changes, and does not carry the cancer risk associated with some CAR-T cell therapies.
The multi-center Phase 1 , open-label study is examining the safety and efficacy of AlloNK in combination with rituximab or Obinutuzumab in people with class III or class IV LN who have not responded to or relapsed following standard therapy.
Continue to follow the Lupus Foundation of America for updates on lupus drug developments and clinical trials. Learn more about treatments being studied for lupus.
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