SQZ Is Bringing the Novel Cell Therapy to HPV+ Tumor Patients

SQZ Biotechnologies (SQZ) is a clinical trial organizing enterprise that develops innovative therapy candidates for cancer patients and other serious diseases.SQZ announced that the first patient received the first dose in its Phase 1 SQZ-PBMC-HPV clinical trial. SQZ-PBMC-HPV is a candidate of antigen-presenting SQZ-engineered cells (APCs) for autologous cell therapy inducing CD8 T-cell responses to HPV16. The patient's doses were delivered in less than 24 hours, leveraging SQZ's innovative technology and fast production process.The patient provided the first dose, although additional doses are cryopreserved and available on demand. It marks the first patient dosed to a candidate for cell therapy derived from the patented Cell Squeeze® cell engineering technology developed by SQZ-a landmark for the company.

“It is thrilling to see our seminal discovery now implemented as the foundation of our first cell therapy treatment,” said ArmonSharei, PhD, founder and chief executive officer of SQZ.SQZ is eager to bring the novel cell therapy to HPV+ tumor patients. HPV+ cancers continue to have a major unmet need, with about 35,000 new cases occurring in the U.S. each year, and it is hoped that SQZ-PBMC-HPV will help patients afflicted by these serious diseases.