World's first clinical trial for lymphoma treatment at South Austin Medical Center
Austin, Texas — The Sarah Cannon Transplant & Cellular Therapy Program at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center is among a select group of organizations participating in a global clinical trial to examine the next frontier of personalized cancer treatment for patients with aggressive large B-cell lymphoma. Notably, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, which offers clinical trials through Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), was the first site in the world to enroll a participant in a first-of-its-kind phase III head-to-head CAR T-cell clinical trial for aggressive large B-cell lymphoma. This achievement marks a significant global milestone in cancer research and positions Austin at the forefront of next-generation cancer care.
The study is evaluating a new investigational therapy called rondecabtagene autoleucel (ronde-cel), which builds on the promise of CAR T-cell therapy — a treatment that aims to reprogram a patient’s own immune cells to better recognize and attack cancer. Unlike traditional treatments, CAR T-cell therapy is more personalized and has transformed how some blood cancers are treated. This trial specifically evaluates the efficacy and safety of ronde-cel versus the investigator’s choice of approved CD19 CAR T-cell therapies designed to target the CD19 protein on cancerous B-cells in patients with aggressive large B-cell lymphoma receiving treatment in the second-line setting.
“This study represents an important step forward in how we treat relapsed or resistant large B-cell lymphoma,” Uttam Rao, M.D., principal investigator for the study at the Sarah Cannon Transplant & Cellular Therapy Program, said. “Through our collaboration with SCRI, we are able to bring cutting-edge cancer research directly to patients in Central Texas.”
By enrolling the world’s first participant, the Sarah Cannon Transplant & Cellular Therapy Program at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center made this therapy available to patients before it was available anywhere else.
“Being the first site globally to enroll a patient underscores the strength of our research infrastructure and our commitment to offering patients early access to the most advanced therapies available,” Dr. Rao said. “By targeting two specific proteins — CD19 and CD20 — ronde-cel is designed to better detect cancer cells that often evade treatment. We are proud to help evaluate a therapy that could improve long-term outcomes for patients facing this challenging diagnosis.”
The trial’s primary goal is to measure how long patients remain free from cancer progression or major complications.
St. David’s South Austin Medical Center is part of the Sarah Cannon Transplant & Cellular Therapy Network, the largest provider of blood and marrow transplants and cellular therapies in the United States and offers clinical trials through SCRI. Leveraging SCRI’s Accelero model, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center achieved rapid trial activation and successfully enrolled the first patient globally. These collaborations bring early-phase clinical trials and advanced cell and gene therapies to patients in Central Texas, offering access to promising new treatments without having to travel far from home.
As the first site worldwide to enroll a participant, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center exemplifies how global medical innovation is happening right here in Austin. Together, they are advancing cancer care and accelerating the development of therapies like ronde-cel that have the potential to change the standard of treatment for aggressive blood cancers.
The study will enroll approximately 400 participants globally and compare ronde-cel’s safety and effectiveness to currently approved CAR T-cell therapies. By participating and by leading enrollment at the global level, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center continues its commitment to bringing innovative, life-extending treatments to patients in Central Texas and beyond.