Curocell, a South Korean clinical-stage biotech company specializing in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, announced on June 15 that the Phase 2 clinical trial results for its breakthrough blood cancer treatment, Rimqarto (anbalcabtagene autoleucel), have been officially published in Blood, a globally authoritative peer-reviewed journal.
“This publication is a landmark achievement,” a company official stated. “It independently validates Curocell’s next-generation CAR-T research and development capabilities on the international academic stage.”
Published by the American Society of Hematology, Blood is widely regarded as one of the world's most prestigious medical journals. It serves as a premier venue for major research breakthroughs in hematologic malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Because global pharmaceutical companies and research institutions closely monitor the journal to evaluate clinical outcomes in cell and gene therapies, Curocell expects this publication to establish a strong academic foundation that will attract international commercial interest.
Promising Efficacy and Manageable Toxicity
The published paper details the clinical outcomes from Rimqarto’s Phase 2 trial, designated as CRC01. According to assessments by an independent review committee, the therapy achieved an objective response rate (ORR)—the percentage of patients whose tumor size decreases by a predefined threshold—of 75.3%. Furthermore, it demonstrated a complete response (CR) rate of 67.1%, meaning over two-thirds of the patients showed no detectable signs of cancer after treatment.
Rimqarto also demonstrated a manageable safety profile. The incidence of Grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a severe systemic inflammatory response common in immunotherapy, was capped at 8.9%. Meanwhile, the rate of immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), reported as neurotoxicity, was limited to 3.8%.
Paving the Way for Global Expansion
“It is deeply rewarding that Curocell’s proprietary, next-generation CAR-T platform and clinical development expertise have been validated at a world-class tier,” said Kim Kun-soo, CEO of Curocell. “Leveraging this momentum, we plan to actively pursue strategic partnerships, out-licensing opportunities, and international co-development projects with global pharmaceutical firms.”
Rimqarto achieved a historic milestone in late April when it secured full regulatory approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. This regulatory green light officially made it the country's 42nd homegrown new drug and the very first commercially approved domestic CAR-T therapy.
