CAR T-Cell Therapy: Gastric Cancer PFS Improvement
satri-cel CAR T-cell therapy significantly extends progression-free survival for advanced gastric cancer patients. This groundbreaking treatment, targeting the CLDN18.2 protein,marks a crucial step forward in battling this challenging disease,presenting a meaningful reduction in the risk of disease progression or death. The phase 2 trial results, published in The Lancet, highlight satri-cel’s effectiveness, offering renewed hope for individuals facing advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancers. Compared to treatment of physician’s choice, satri-cel demonstrates a notably improved median progression-free survival. Furthermore, this therapy shows promise in demonstrating a better objective response rate. with manageable safety profiles, researchers are optimistic about its long-term impact. News Directory 3 is following the story closely. Discover what’s next for satri-cel and its future role in cancer care.
Satri-cel CAR T-Cell Therapy Extends Survival in Gastric Cancer
Updated May 31, 2025
Satri-cel chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy substantially improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancers that tested positive for Claudin-18 isoform 2 (CLDN18.2), compared to treatment of physician’s choice (TPC), according to a new study.
The phase 2 randomized controlled trial, led by Dr. Changsong Qi at Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute in Beijing, china, involved 156 patients with advanced gastric or GEJ cancer refractory to two or more prior treatments. The findings were published in The Lancet.
CLDN18.2, a tight-junction protein, is frequently enough overexpressed in thes cancers. Satri-cel, an autologous CAR T-cell therapy targeting CLDN18.2, had previously shown promise, prompting this further investigation.
The study,conducted across multiple centers in China,randomly assigned participants to receive either satri-cel (n=104) or TPC (n=52),wich could include nivolumab,paclitaxel,docetaxel,irinotecan,or rivoceranib. The median age of participants was 52 years.
Results showed a median PFS of 3.25 months in the satri-cel group versus 1.77 months in the TPC group. Satri-cel reduced the risk of progression or death by 63%.
“Satri-cel was associated with a statistically significant increase in progression-free survival and clinically meaningful increase in overall survival compared with TPC, along with a manageable safety profile in patients with previously treated, advanced, CLDN18.2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer,” the authors wrote.
The objective response rate was also higher in the satri-cel group (22%) compared to the TPC group (4%).While median overall survival (OS) improved with satri-cel (7.92 months vs 5.49 months), this difference did not reach statistical significance.
All patients in the satri-cel group experienced treatment-emergent adverse events, compared to 92% in the TPC group. Grade 3 or higher adverse events were more frequent in the satri-cel group (99%) than in the TPC group (63%), with decreased lymphocyte count, decreased white blood cell count, and cytokine release syndrome being the most common.
What’s next
Further research is needed to validate these findings and to optimize the use of satri-cel CAR T-cell therapy in treating advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers. Studies addressing the limitations of this trial, such as the time between apheresis and CAR T-cell infusion, are also warranted.