- Tracy Tomlinson, 58, with advanced ovarian cancer, has become the first patient globally to receive the experimental drug ZI-MA4-1 as part of a clinical trial at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester.
- The therapy combines natural killer (NK) cells with engineered T-cell receptors (TCRs) to specifically target the Mage-A4 protein found in various cancer types, including ovarian, lung, sarcomas and head and neck cancer.
- Unlike personalised treatments, ZI-MA4-1 is an "off-the-shelf" therapy manufactured from donor immune cells, aiming to make advanced cell therapies more accessible, quicker, and cheaper for a wider patient population.
- Mrs Tomlinson, diagnosed in 2020, has undergone multiple treatments, with her cancer repeatedly returning, and hopes this new therapy will benefit her and future patients.
- Experts from the Christie and Zelluna, the drug's manufacturer, highlight this as a landmark moment in cancer treatment, representing a novel approach in cell therapy with significant potential for solid tumours.
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