Trial failure causes Bellicum to view strategic alternatives

15 March 2023

Shares of Texas, USA-based Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: BLCM) tanked almost 50% to $0.46 this morning after it said it has decided to discontinue its ongoing Phase I/II clinical trials evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of its GoCAR-T cell product candidates in combination with rimiducid in heavily pre-treated cancer patients.

The trials for BPX-601 and BPX-603 are being discontinued following the company’s assessment of the risk/benefit profile of BPX-601 in combination with rimiducid. The latest setback adds to earlier trial disappointments for the company.

The most recent patient treated in the Phase I/II trial of BPX-601 in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) experienced serious immune-mediated adverse events including Grade 4 cytokine release syndrome (CRS), the second dose-limiting toxicity observed in this cohort of dose escalation. The company paused enrollment in its clinical studies and conducted a thorough review of the risk/benefit observed to date.

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