Clinical stage biopharmaceutical company Estrella Immunopharma Inc (NASDAQ:ESLA) reported on Thursday that the first patient has been dosed in the second cohort of its Phase I/II STARLIGHT-1 trial evaluating EB103, a CD19-redirected ARTEMIS T-cell therapy for advanced B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas.

The second cohort will assess a higher dose level of EB103 following a safety review of the first cohort, which reported no dose-limiting toxicities or treatment-related serious adverse events.

This advancement marks continued progress in the dose escalation phase of the STARLIGHT-1 trial. Estrella aims to complete Phase I based on this sequential approach.

CEO Cheng Liu highlighted the favourable safety profile and complete response observed in the initial cohort. He noted EB103's potential to overcome limitations of traditional CAR-T therapies, particularly for high-risk patient populations. These include individuals with HIV-associated lymphoma and central nervous system lymphoma, who are currently excluded from existing CAR-T treatment options.