MD Anderson Cancer Center reports early signals for rapid autologous macrophage therapy RB-1355 in refractory lymphoma

February 13, 2026-Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have reported early clinical activity from a first-in-human study of RB-1355, an investigational autologous cell therapy designed for patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphomas, including those who have progressed after standard options such as CAR T-cell therapy.

According to the center’s research news release, RB-1355 appeared safe and well tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicities observed in the early cohort. The treatment is positioned with several practical advantages: it can be manufactured in about one week, is delivered via direct injections into lesions, and does not require lymphodepleting chemotherapy—a notable departure from many current cellular therapy workflows.

The study results were presented on February 7, 2026 at the 2026 Tandem Meetings in Salt Lake City by Paolo Strati, associate professor in MD Anderson’s lymphoma program.

How it works: RB-1355 is made from a patient’s own immune cells. Using an ex-vivo process, macrophages are “hyperactivated” and programmed to reshape the tumor microenvironment toward a pro-inflammatory, immune-supportive state—intended to trigger a broader anti-lymphoma immune cascade involving tumor-reactive T and B cells.

Early efficacy signals: In the initial cohort of 13 patients with advanced B- or T-cell lymphomas, MD Anderson reported complete remissions in two patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) whose disease had relapsed or failed to respond after CAR T-cell therapy. Additional partial responses were observed in peripheral T-cell lymphoma and mycosis fungoides, populations with limited remaining standard options.

MD Anderson noted that further investigation is ongoing, including exploring whether higher doses or repeated cycles could improve response durability.