Sep 2, 2026 —
The first patient has been dosed in the KOALA trial, a first-in-human study of PMCC-COE-KMA, an investigational CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The therapy was developed by Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre’s Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy and licensed by HaemaLogiX; clinical doses are manufactured by Cell Therapies at its GMP-licensed facility co-located with Peter Mac.
PMCC-COE-KMA targets Kappa Myeloma Antigen (KMA), which the developers report is found on myeloma cells but absent from healthy immune cells. The trial will assess safety and efficacy in patients whose disease no longer responds to standard therapies and who are not eligible for other CAR T-cell treatments.
The milestone reflects an integrated Australian pathway spanning research, clinical expertise, and GMP manufacturing.
