GC Cell Confirms Clinical Applicability of CIK Cells in Glioblastoma Treatment

Research Findings Published in International Journal
Establishing Foundation for Further Studies

GC Cell has released research findings confirming both the clinical applicability and safety of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma.

On October 1, GC Cell announced that the results of its glioblastoma (GBM) research based on CIK cells have been published in the international journal 'Frontiers in Neurology.'

This study was a retrospective, investigator-initiated analysis, assessing the characteristics of patient-derived CIK cells, results from preclinical studies, and actual patient treatment data. The aim was to comprehensively evaluate the potential use of CIK cells for glioblastoma therapy from multiple perspectives.

For the clinical analysis, the medical records of 12 patients with recurrent glioblastoma who received autologous CIK cell therapy were reviewed. In addition to the CIK cell therapy, the patients were administered other treatments, including temozolomide, bevacizumab, or nivolumab.

According to the results, the median progression-free survival (PFS) for all patients was 10.5 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 14.2 months. There were no cases where treatment was discontinued due to adverse events related to CIK cell therapy. Similarly, there were no observed cases of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), severe allergic reactions, or treatment-related deaths.

However, the study has limitations, as the patient cohort consisted of only 12 individuals, the combination therapies varied among patients, and there was no separate control group. Therefore, there are limitations in interpreting the observed survival outcomes as a direct therapeutic effect of CIK cell therapy.

Experts noted that this study is meaningful because it explored the clinical applicability and safety of CIK cell therapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and established a foundation for further research.

Glioblastoma is a malignant brain tumor that occurs in adults, with a high recurrence rate even after standard therapy, and limited treatment options available after relapse. Based on this study, GC Cell plans to continue research to verify the potential of CIK-based cell therapy for glioblastoma and other refractory solid tumors.

Choi Jongkwon, Professor of Hematology and Oncology at Konyang University Hospital and corresponding author of the study, stated, "This research is significant in that it analyzed the characteristics of CIK cells and preclinical animal model results along with actual clinical data, exploring the clinical applicability and safety of CIK cell therapy in recurrent glioblastoma."

Won Sungyong, CEO of GC Cell, commented, "We have expanded our accumulated research capabilities in CIK cell therapy, nurtured through ImmunCell-LC, to intractable solid tumors such as glioblastoma. We will continue to build the evidence base to verify the therapeutic potential of cell therapy for cancers with high unmet medical needs."

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