Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

UK Woman Becomes World-First To Receive Experimental Cell Therapy For Ovarian Cancer

A 58-year-old woman in the UK has become the first person in the world to receive an experimental <span>cell therapy for <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/ovarian-cancer">ovarian cancer</a></span>.

<span>Tracy Tomlinson</span>, who has been living with advanced <span>ovarian cancer</span> for more than five years, received the first dose of ZI-MA4-1 at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust as part of the ZIMA-101 clinical trial. The study is evaluating ZI-MA4-1, the world's first MAGE-A4-targeting TCR-NK cell therapy to enter clinical development.

"While this is an early-stage study primarily focused on safety, it represents an exciting step forward in efforts to develop new treatment options for people like Tracy with advanced solid tumors. We hope the knowledge gained will help shape future cancer treatments and ultimately improve outcomes for patients," said Professor Fiona Thistlethwaite, consultant medical oncologist at The Christie.

<h2>Tracy's Journey With Ovarian Cancer</h2>

Tracy, from Chadderton in Greater Manchester, was diagnosed with Stage 3C ovarian cancer shortly before Christmas 2020.

She first suspected something was wrong when what she thought was a urinary tract infection did not improve despite antibiotics prescribed by her GP. After blood tests, scans and further investigations, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer just two days before her birthday.

Over the next several years, Tracy underwent surgery, multiple rounds of chemotherapy and maintenance therapy. By the summer of 2021, scans showed no evidence of disease, but the cancer returned a year later. She underwent further surgery and treatment, followed by additional recurrences.

Since 2023, Tracy has been living with ongoing cancer while receiving additional lines of treatment.

"The cancer is relentless," she said. "For me, it's never seemed to leave me alone."

Treatment has also caused fatigue, nausea and nerve damage in her hands and feet, eventually forcing her to stop working as a credit controller.

As her treatment options became more limited, Tracy began exploring clinical trials. Last year, she was referred to The Christie's early-phase clinical trials team and was eventually found eligible for the ZIMA-101 study.

After extensive screening, including scans, biopsies and blood tests, she became the first patient in the world to receive ZI-MA4-1.

"I decided almost straight away that I was going to go for it," she said. "Then afterwards you think, 'Am I doing the right thing?' because it is a little bit scary being the first person."

Following her first dose, Tracy remained in hospital for planned monitoring before being discharged on July 23.

"There are no guarantees with any trial," she said. "It could have a fantastic outcome, it could have no outcome, or somewhere in between. But if there is a possibility that it could work, I've got to go for it."

She added, "Cancer is no longer a death sentence. Five years ago, I thought I was going to die, but I'm still here."

Developed by <span>Zelluna</span>, ZI-MA4-1 combines two immune-based approaches to target cancer. The therapy uses natural killer (NK) cells, which can detect and destroy abnormal cells, together with engineered T-cell receptors (TCRs) that enable them to recognize tumors expressing the protein MAGE-A4.

MAGE-A4 is found in several solid tumors, including ovarian cancer, making it a promising target for precision cancer therapies.

Unlike personalized cell therapies that require a patient's own cells to be collected and manufactured individually, ZI-MA4-1 uses donor-derived immune cells and is designed as an "off-the-shelf" treatment. 

Researchers hope this approach could make advanced cell therapies available to more patients in less time.

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Ovarian Cancer

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Cell Therapy for ovarian cancer

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A 58-year-old woman in the UK has become the first person in the world to receive an experimental cell therapy for ovarian cancer.Tracy Tomlinson, who has been living with advanced ovarian cancer for more than five years, received the first dose of ZI-MA4-1 at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust as part of the ZIMA-101 clinical trial. The study is evaluating ZI-MA4-1, the world's first MAGE-A4-targeting TCR-NK cell therapy to enter clinical development."While this is an early-stage study primarily focused on safety, it represents an exciting step forward in efforts to develop new treatment options for people like Tracy with advanced solid tumors. We hope the knowledge gained will help shape future cancer treatments and ultimately improve outcomes for patients," said Professor Fiona Thistlethwaite, consultant medical oncologist at The Christie.Tracy's Journey With Ovarian CancerTracy, from Chadderton in Greater Manchester, was diagnosed with Stage 3C ovarian cancer shortly before Christmas 2020.She first suspected something was wrong when what she thought was a urinary tract infection did not improve despite antibiotics prescribed by her GP. After blood tests, scans and further investigations, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer just two days before her birthday.Over the next several years, Tracy underwent surgery, multiple rounds of chemotherapy and maintenance therapy. By the summer of 2021, scans showed no evidence of disease, but the cancer returned a year later. She underwent further surgery and treatment, followed by additional recurrences.Since 2023, Tracy has been living with ongoing cancer while receiving additional lines of treatment."The cancer is relentless," she said. "For me, it's never seemed to leave me alone."Treatment has also caused fatigue, nausea and nerve damage in her hands and feet, eventually forcing her to stop working as a credit controller.As her treatment options became more limited, Tracy began exploring clinical trials. Last year, she was referred to The Christie's early-phase clinical trials team and was eventually found eligible for the ZIMA-101 study.After extensive screening, including scans, biopsies and blood tests, she became the first patient in the world to receive ZI-MA4-1."I decided almost straight away that I was going to go for it," she said. "Then afterwards you think, 'Am I doing the right thing?' because it is a little bit scary being the first person."Following her first dose, Tracy remained in hospital for planned monitoring before being discharged on July 23."There are no guarantees with any trial," she said. "It could have a fantastic outcome, it could have no outcome, or somewhere in between. But if there is a possibility that it could work, I've got to go for it."She added, "Cancer is no longer a death sentence. Five years ago, I thought I was going to die, but I'm still here."What Is ZI-MA4-1 Cell Therapy?Developed by Zelluna, ZI-MA4-1 combines two immune-based approaches to target cancer. The therapy uses natural killer (NK) cells, which can detect and destroy abnormal cells, together with engineered T-cell receptors (TCRs) that enable them to recognize tumors expressing the protein MAGE-A4.MAGE-A4 is found in several solid tumors, including ovarian cancer, making it a promising target for precision cancer therapies.Unlike personalized cell therapies that require a patient's own cells to be collected and manufactured individually, ZI-MA4-1 uses donor-derived immune cells and is designed as an "off-the-shelf" treatment. Researchers hope this approach could make advanced cell therapies available to more patients in less time.

uk woman becomes world-first to receive experimental cell therapy for ovarian cancer

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