New Cancer Drug NT-I7 Boosts Immune Cells in Brain Tumor Patients for 12+ Weeks

Brain cancer patients receiving a new immunotherapy drug called NT-I7 experienced significant boosts in immune cell counts that lasted over 12 weeks, according to a Phase I clinical trial. This finding could transform how doctors support immune function during aggressive cancer treatments.

Researchers studied 24 patients with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas, aggressive brain tumors with poor survival rates. Standard treatment involves surgery followed by radiation and temozolomide chemotherapy, which often causes severe lymphopenia (low immune cell counts) associated with worse outcomes.

The trial tested NT-I7 (efineptakin alfa), a long-acting version of interleukin-7, a protein essential for immune cell development and survival. Patients received NT-I7 injections at various doses to determine safety and optimal dosing. Researchers used advanced single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze immune responses.

NT-I7 proved safe with a maximum tolerated dose of 720 µg/kg. Most importantly, it significantly increased absolute lymphocyte counts for over 12 weeks, including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells. The treatment selectively expanded CD8+ T cell clonotypes - specific populations that target cancer cells. Patients also showed increased levels of cancer-fighting proteins TNF and CXCL9. Remarkably, some patients with MGMT promoter-unmethylated glioblastoma, typically associated with poor prognosis, demonstrated promising clinical responses.

These results suggest NT-I7 could help maintain robust immune function during cancer treatment, potentially improving outcomes. The findings support further investigation of NT-I7, particularly combined with other immunotherapies, representing a promising advance in supporting the body's natural cancer-fighting capabilities during treatment.