Data from the ongoing ALLELE study consistent with prior efficacy and safety findings for tabelecleucel in treatment of Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) EBV+ PTLD in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) and solid organ transplant (SOT) patients following failure of standard of care
New analysis of 12 pediatric patients suggests the risk/benefit profile in the pediatric subgroup is consistent with that reported in the overall study population
Biologics license application (BLA) under priority review by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of January 10, 2026
SECAUCUS, N.J., Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals Inc., today announced updated results presented at the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting of the pivotal Phase 3 ALLELE study of tabelecleucel in adults and children with R/R EBV+ PTLD following HCT or SOT. The two abstracts included sub-analyses of pediatric patients and by prior therapy.
"These two sub-analyses highlight the potential of tabelecleucel to improve outcomes for patients, both pediatric and adult, with R/R EBV+ PTLD who after undergoing a potentially life-saving solid organ or hematopoietic cell transplant suddenly face yet another life-threatening illness," said presenter and clinical investigator, Dr. Sarah Nikiforow, Assistant Professor, Stem Cell Transplantation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "The updated data support the potential of tabelecleucel as an important advancement in addressing the significant unmet need for patients with EBV+ PTLD, who currently have no FDA-approved treatment options and may experience poor overall survival of only weeks to a few months following the failure of standard treatment."
ALLELE is an ongoing multicenter, open-label Phase 3 study. This analysis encompassed a larger cohort of 86 patients (29 HCT, 57 SOT). In the study, patients received a median of two treatment cycles. Each cycle of tabelecleucel consisted of three infusions given on days 1, 8 and 15 with an imaging assessment of efficacy on day 28.
The updated findings showed patients receiving tabelecleucel had an objective response rate (ORR) of 47.7% with the HCT cohort achieving an 48.3% ORR and SOT cohort achieving a 47.4% ORR. The median (95% CI) overall survival (OS) from Kaplan-Meier survival estimates for the HCT cohort was 18.6 months. For the SOT cohort, median OS was not estimable as more than half of the patients remained in follow-up. In a sub-analysis of treatment response by prior therapy in SOT patients, ORR was 52.4% for those receiving rituximab and 44.4% for those receiving rituximab and chemotherapy.
Safety findings presented were consistent with previously published data. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported in 58.6% of HCT and 66.7% of SOT patients. These events were related to study treatment in 1 HCT patient and 7 SOT patients. Fatal SAEs were reported in 5 HCT and 9 SOT patients, and none were reported by investigators to be treatment related. Pyrexia was reported in 1 SOT patient and considered as a potential sign of cytokine release syndrome possibly related to treatment. In the updated ALLELE study data, there were no reports of tumor flare or infusion reactions, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, or transmission of infectious diseases. No events of graft vs host disease or organ rejection were reported as tabelecleucel related.
A new sub-analysis of 12 pediatric patients less than 17 years of age found the ORR was 50.0% with complete response reported in 4 of 12 patients, and partial response observed in 2 of 12 patients. Efficacy and safety observed in the pediatric sub-group was consistent with that reported in the overall population. Six patients developed treatment emergent adverse events (TESAEs); 4 TESAEs in 2 patients were considered treatment related. Fatal SAEs were reported in 2 patients, neither considered related to treatment. There were no reports of tumor flare, infusion reactions, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, graft vs. host disease, transmission of infection or bone marrow/solid organ transplant rejection.
"The growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of tabelecleucel in treatment of people living with EBV+PTLD enhances our confidence in the potential of this innovative cell therapy. These patients have undergone a difficult journey to receive a life-saving transplant only to be diagnosed with this ultra rare form of cancer and they deserve an effective treatment option following failure of standard-of-care therapy," said Adriana Herrera, Chief Executive Officer of Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals Inc., the Pierre Fabre Laboratories pharmaceutical subsidiary in the United States. "We look forward to our FDA target action date in January 2026 and if approved, the opportunity to address the significant unmet medical need of these patients who urgently need new treatment options."
A BLA for tabelecleucel is currently under FDA review with a target action date of January 10, 2026. The application is granted priority review for tabelecleucel indicated as monotherapy for treatment of adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with EBV+ PTLD who have received at least one prior therapy including an anti-CD20 containing regimen. The BLA is supported by pivotal study data from the ALLELE study and supportive data covering more than 430 patients treated with tabelecleucel.
About Tabelecleucel
Tabelecleucel is an allogeneic, off-the-shelf, EBV-specific T-cell immunotherapy designed to selectively target and eliminate EBV-infected cells. Unlike autologous CAR-T therapies, allogeneic T-cells are derived from third-party donors and are not genetically modified. T-cells are collected from the blood of healthy donors and activated by exposure to Epstein-Barr virus antigens, enriching for a population of T-cells that recognize EBV. These EBV-specific T-cells are then expanded, characterized, and cryopreserved for future use to treat patients.
About EBV+PTLD
EBV+ PTLD is an ultra-rare, acute, and potentially deadly blood malignancy that occurs after transplantation when patient T-cell immune responses are compromised by immunosuppression. It can impact patients who have undergone allogeneic HCT or SOT. Poor median survival of 3 weeks and 4.1 months for HCT and SOT, respectively, is reported in EBV+ PTLD patients for whom standard of care failed, underscoring the significant need for new therapeutic options.
About Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals and Pierre Fabre Laboratories
The mission of Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals (PFP) is to deliver breakthrough therapies in oncology and rare diseases to patient populations with high unmet needs and limited treatment options. Our belief is that every time we care for a single person, we make the whole world better.
PFP is the US pharmaceutical subsidiary of Pierre Fabre Laboratories, a foundation-owned company with seven decades of impact. Pierre Fabre Laboratories is a global healthcare company, established in 43 countries, with 10,000 employees, and with products distributed in 120 territories across the globe.
The Pierre Fabre Laboratories foundation ownership enhances the ability of the company to create long-term value for patients. Partnerships and acquisitions drive its innovative precision treatment pipeline and are enabled by the unique corporate structure.
Building on the legacy of Pierre Fabre Laboratories, innovation is the life blood of PFP and patient experience© drives everything the company does. PFP aspires to design and develop therapeutic solutions inspired by patients and healthcare professionals; draw on science and nature as perpetual sources of inspiration; develop long-term partnerships with researchers and innovators worldwide; and place pharmaceutical ethics and climate transition at the heart of our action.
Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals has therapies in development for Epstein-Barr virus positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV+ PTLD), NRAS-mutant melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer with mutation or amplification of MET, and X-Linked Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia (XLHED). Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ.
Pierre Fabre, Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals, and the Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals logo are trademarks of Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are property of their respective owners. Ⓒ 2025 Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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