The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $15 million to Dr. John Le Gall and his team at Allogene Therapeutics. This funding supports ALLO‑316, an anti‑CD70 CAR‑T therapy for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common kidney cancer.

Looking for options

Metastatic RCC has few options, especially for patients who fail checkpoint blockers and targeted therapies. The five‑year survival rate is under 17%, showing the urgent need for new treatments.

ALLO‑316 is an allogeneic CAR‑T therapy that targets CD70, a protein widely expressed on ccRCC tumors. By aiming at CD70‑positive cells, it offers a promising new approach. Early Phase 1 TRAVERSE data from AACR 2023 showed encouraging responses and early anti‑tumor activity.

Dr. Zachary Roberts, Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer at Allogene, highlighted CAR‑T’s potential for solid tumors. “CAR‑T has transformed blood cancer care, and this CIRM award supports the advances in our TRAVERSE trial,” he said. “ALLO‑316 shows real promise for advanced RCC patients who have exhausted standard therapies. We appreciate CIRM’s support as we move forward.”

The Phase 1 TRAVERSE trial will evaluate safety, tolerability, and early efficacy. CIRM’s grant will help complete this phase, expand clinical sites, and support analyses to guide Phase 2.

Dr. Abla Creasey, Vice President of Therapeutics Development at CIRM, emphasized the study’s impact. “This trial may show the value of CAR‑T therapy in solid cancers like kidney cancer, where needs remain high,” she said.

A key discovery in the trial is Dagger® technology, which removes CD70‑positive alloreactive immune cells. This reduces early rejection of AlloCAR T cells, increasing their effectiveness.

Developing ALLO‑316 marks important progress for patients facing metastatic kidney cancer and offers new hope to families.