Artiva shuts down after two deaths in autoimmune cell therapy trial
Artiva Biotherapeutics, based in San Diego, said Tuesday that it is winding down after two patients died in a Phase 2 trial of its natural killer, or NK, cell therapy for autoimmune diseases. The announcement is the latest in a series of safety events in a research area that had drawn drugmakers by applying cancer cell-therapy methods to autoimmune conditions.
One participant died of a neurological complication after receiving the treatment. Researchers concluded the death was likely not caused by the cell therapy itself but by chemotherapy given beforehand. Preparatory chemotherapy is standard before cell infusions: it lowers the patient’s white blood cell count to make room for the new cells.
A second participant died suddenly about two months after treatment. Investigators determined that this death was not related to any component of the treatment process, but the cause has not been established.
Continue in the app — vote & join in ➔