A revolutionary cancer therapy, HSP-CAR30, has stunned researchers by achieving remarkable results in its Phase-I clinical trial, offering new hope for patients with refractory CD30-positive lymphomas. The therapy, a form of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, works by genetically modifying a patient’s immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. This particular treatment targets the CD30 protein, present in certain types of lymphoma, including classical Hodgkin lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma.
In the Phase-I trial, conducted by the Sant Pau Research Institute and in collaboration with Sant Pau Hospital and the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, 10 patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma were treated. The therapy demonstrated an astonishing 100% overall response rate, with 50% of patients achieving complete remission—meaning no detectable cancer through imaging or clinical evaluation.
What’s even more remarkable is the long-term effectiveness of the treatment. After a median follow-up period of 34 months, 60% of the patients remained relapse-free, underscoring the durable benefits of this novel therapy. The safety profile was favorable, with only mild Grade 1 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) observed in six patients. No dose-limiting toxicities or neurotoxicities were reported, which are common concerns in CAR-T therapies.
The therapy also showed promising signs of long-term persistence, with CAR30-positive cells still detectable in 60% of patients a year after treatment. This indicates that the therapy not only provides an immediate response but could continue to offer benefits for years.
The key innovation of HSP-CAR30 lies in its ability to target a stable region of the CD30 protein, reducing the risk of tumor escape—a problem seen in many other CAR-T treatments due to antigen shedding.
Following the success of the Phase-I trial, a Phase-II trial has already begun, expanding the number of participants and showing promising preliminary results. Early findings indicate that over 55% of the patients in the Phase-II trial have already achieved complete remission.
HSP-CAR30 is part of a new wave of cancer therapies that leverage the body’s own immune system to fight cancer with precision, reducing the collateral damage caused by traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. This therapy could revolutionize the way blood cancers like lymphoma are treated, offering a more targeted, effective, and safer approach.
The hope is that, as the treatment progresses, it could become a viable and affordable option for patients in need, potentially providing access to life-saving treatment for those who previously had limited options.