CARsgen Presents Preliminary Results on Satri-cel for Adjuvant Therapy of Pancreatic Cancer at ESMO Congress 2025

SHANGHAI, Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 2171.HK), a company focused on developing innovative CAR T-cell therapies, announces that the research results of the Phase Ib registrational clinical trial of satricabtagene autoleucel ("satri-cel", CT041) (an autologous CAR T-cell product candidate against protein Claudin18.2) for pancreatic cancer (PC) adjuvant therapy in China (CT041-ST-05, NCT05911217) has been presented in poster session at European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025. The poster was titled "Adjuvant Therapy with Claudin18.2-specific CAR T Cells (Satri-cel) in High-Risk Pancreatic Cancer (CT041-ST-05)" (Poster number: 2220P). The trial represents the world's first proof-of-concept (POC) study exploring CAR T-cell therapy for the adjuvant treatment of solid tumors. Professor Xianjun Yu from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center serves as the principal investigator.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a dismal prognosis even among patients who undergo surgical resection. Local recurrence and distant metastasis are common, often leading to treatment failure. Elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels post resection indicate aggressive tumor biology and higher risk of recurrence. The median interval is approximately 3 months between CA19-9 elevation and radiological recurrence. ^[1][2] Current standard adjuvant therapies have limited effectiveness for high-risk patients, highlighting the urgent need for novel strategies.

This trial enrolled patients with Claudin18.2 positive PDAC who have undergone curative-intent resection, with abnormal CA19-9 after 3 months adjuvant chemotherapy and no evidence of recurrence. From Sep 15, 2023 to April 11, 2025 (data cut-off date), six patients received satri-cel infusion and completed at least 4 weeks of follow-up.

With a median follow-up of 6.05 months from infusion, only one patient experienced disease recurrence, while others are still under disease free. The median disease-free survival (DFS) and median overall survival (OS) were not reached (NR). The 9-month DFS rate from surgery was 83.3%. Notably, one patient who has completed 52-week follow-up post infusion is still under follow-up without disease recurrence. Moreover, significant decline in CA19-9 levels post infusion was observed in five (83.3%) patients, with reductions ranging from 51.3% to 96.1%.

All patients developed Grade 1 or 2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) after the first satri-cel infusion. For the second infusion administered in one patient, grade 3 CRS accompanied by hypotension was observed, which was resolved within three days following tocilizumab treatment. All patients experienced gastrointestinal disorders, such as nausea and vomiting, which were all Grade 1 or 2. Only one case of Grade 3 gastritis occurred. No immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) was reported.

Dr. Zonghai Li, Founder, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Scientific Officer of CARsgen Therapeutics, said, "We are pleased to see that satri-cel has shown promising preliminary efficacy with a manageable safety profile in the highly challenging setting of pancreatic cancer adjuvant therapy. For patients at high risk of recurrence after surgical resection of pancreatic cancer, there are currently very few effective treatment options. In this trial, the sustained disease-free survival and marked declines in CA19-9 levels suggest that satri-cel, an innovative cellular immunotherapy, may clear minimal residual disease and potentially alter the disease course for these patients. Furthermore, we are actively advancing clinical trials exploring satri-cel for gastric cancer adjuvant therapy and as a sequential treatment following first-line gastric cancer therapy, with the goal of providing better curative opportunities for a broader patient population."

About Satri-cel
Satri-cel is an autologous CAR T-cell product candidate against the protein Claudin18.2 that has the potential to be the first-in-class globally. Satri-cel targets the treatment of Claudin18.2-positive solid tumors with a primary focus on gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (G/GEJA) and pancreatic cancer (PC). Initiated trials include investigator-initiated trials (CT041-CG4006, NCT03874897), a confirmatory Phase II clinical trial for advanced G/GEJA in China (CT041-ST-01, NCT04581473), a Phase Ib registrational trial for PC adjuvant therapy in China (CT041-ST-05, NCT05911217), an investigator-initiated trial for satri-cel be used as consolidation treatment following adjuvant therapy in patients with resected G/GEJA (CT041-CG4010, NCT06857786), an investigator-initiated trial for satri-cel as a sequential therapy following first-line treatment in patients with advanced G/GEJA (CT041-CG4011, NCT07179484), and a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial for advanced gastric or pancreatic adenocarcinoma in North America (CT041-ST-02, NCT04404595).

The Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China has accepted the New Drug Application (NDA) for satri-cel for the treatment of Claudin18.2-positive advanced G/GEJA in patients who have failed at least two prior lines of therapy on June 25, 2025. It has been granted Priority Review in May 2025 and Breakthrough Therapy Designation in March 2025 by the CDE. Satri-cel was granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation by U.S. FDA for the treatment of advanced G/GEJA with Claudin18.2-positive tumors in January 2022. Satri-cel received Orphan Drug designation from the U.S. FDA for the treatment of G/GEJA in September 2020.

About CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings Limited
CARsgen is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on developing innovative CAR T-cell therapies to address the unmet clinical needs including but not limited to hematologic malignancies, solid tumors and autoimmune diseases. CARsgen has established end-to-end capabilities for CAR T-cell research and development covering target discovery, preclinical research, product clinical development, and commercial-scale production. CARsgen has developed novel in-house technologies and a product pipeline with global rights to address challenges faced by existing CAR T-cell therapies. Efforts include improving safety profile, enhancing the efficacy in treating solid tumors, and reducing treatment costs, etc. CARsgen's mission is to be a global biopharmaceutical leader that provides innovative and differentiated cell therapies for patients worldwide and makes cancer and other diseases curable.

Forward-looking Statements
All statements in this press release that are not historical fact or that do not relate to present facts or current conditions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements express the Group's current views, projections, beliefs and expectations with respect to future events as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and factors beyond the Group's control. As a result, they are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements and the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those detailed under the heading "Principal Risks and Uncertainties" in our most recent annual report and interim report and other announcements and reports made available on our corporate website, https://www.carsgen.com. No representation or warranty is given as to the achievement or reasonableness of, and no reliance should be placed on, any projections, targets, estimates or forecasts contained in this press release.

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