Aaron Edwards Shared the Results on GD2 CAR-T in Neuroblastoma
Aaron Edwards, CEO and Co-Founder at KiraGen Bios, shared a post on LinkedIn about an article published in Nature Medicine:
“I just finished reading the results on GD2 CAR-T neuroblastoma in Nature Medicine, and it feels like a real turning point.
They’re seeing 40% complete remissions in children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma, and 78% of the patients in the optimal group are still alive after five years. Some kids are even cancer-free more than five years after just one infusion.
For solid tumors, these numbers are extraordinary. This isn’t just incremental progress; it’s data that fundamentally shifts what we believe is possible.
One detail really stood out: patients who received CAR-T cells collected at diagnosis had significantly better outcomes than those who received cells collected at relapse. Fitter starting material meant stronger responses. This was echoed in a companion study from the same team, where donor-derived GD2 CAR-T cells expanded better, were more cytotoxic, and even rescued patients who had failed autologous products.
But even with these deep responses, relapses still occurred despite the long persistence of CAR-T cells. This shows that durability alone isn’t enough when the tumor microenvironment remains hostile.
The link between the fitness of starting cells and long-term outcomes is exactly why I’m so optimistic about the future. If we can combine donor-derived approaches with strategies to overcome the hostile tumor microenvironment, ex vivo CAR-T therapies could really move from promise to reality in solid tumors.
That’s exactly why we’re building what we’re building at KiraGen Bio.
Families fighting neuroblastoma and other solid tumors have been waiting too long for news like this. Today, they’ve got more than just hope – they’ve got proof.”
Angela Mastronuzzi, Head of Neuro-Oncology Unit at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital and President of AIEOP, shared a post on LinkedIn, adding:
“Thank you Aaron Edwards for recognizing our research. I’m very proud of the dedication my team has shown.”
Title: GD2-targeting CAR T cells in high-risk neuroblastoma: a phase 1/2 trial
Authors: Franco Locatelli, Daria Pagliara, Maria A. De Ioris, Marco Becilli, Giada Del Baldo, Annalisa Serra, Angela Mastronuzzi, Maria G. Cefalo, Giuseppina Li Pira, Giovanna Leone, Valentina Bertaina, Francesco Fabozzi, Matteo Di Nardo, Chiara Rosignoli, Maria Luisa D’Andrea, Alessandro Crocoli, Sabina Vennarini, Matilde Sinibaldi, Stefano Di Cecca, Marika Guercio, Laura Iaffaldano, Barbarella Lucarelli, Mattia Algeri, Pietro Merli, Giovanna S. Colafati, Biagio De Angelis, Concetta Quintarelli, Francesca del Bufalo
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