ICAM-1 CAR-T Therapy AIC100 Yields Promising Responses in Aggressive Thyroid Cancers

In this Phase 1 dose-escalation study (NCT04420754), AIC100—a novel, ICAM-1 directed third-generation CAR T-cell therapy engineered with somatostatin receptor 2 for imaging—was evaluated in patients with relapsed/refractory anaplastic (ATC) and poorly differentiated thyroid cancers (PDTC). Across four dose levels, no dose-limiting toxicities occurred at the first three levels, while two Grade 3 pneumonitis events were noted at the highest exploratory dose; at dose levels 2 and 3, the objective response rate reached 22% overall (with a 50% ORR in ATC) and a disease control rate of 56%, leading to the selection of 5 x 10^8 cells as the recommended Phase 2 dose.

These early results highlight AIC100’s potential to offer a targeted, safe immunotherapy option for patients with aggressive thyroid cancers, paving the way for cohort expansion in future studies.