What data did Imugene (ASX:IMU) release regarding its cancer treatment pipeline?

Imugene released Phase 1b clinical data for its allogeneic CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, known as azer-cel, after the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) lifted its conference embargo.

What makes the patient cohort in Imugene’s (ASX:IMU) azer-cel trial significant?

The trial specifically targeted 19 heavily pre-treated patients who were "CAR T-naïve," meaning they had not previously received autologous CAR T therapy.

How did patients respond to the Imugene (ASX:IMU) azer-cel treatment by Day 28?

Out of the 19 patients treated with azer-cel in combination with low-dose IL-2, 16 were evaluable for response at their first formal Day 28 disease assessment.

What types of blood cancers were treated in Imugene’s (ASX:IMU) Phase 1b study?

The ongoing basket study evaluated azer-cel across a broad spectrum of CD19 B-cell malignancies. Enrolled patients were diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), follicular lymphoma (FL), primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), and Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (WM).

Why does this Phase 1b news matter to retail investors holding Imugene (ASX:IMU)?

This news provides early clinical validation for Imugene’s lead asset, proving the therapy can achieve cell expansion and responses in patients who have failed complex treatments. For biotech investors, positive Phase 1b data reduces early-stage technical risk, which is critical for the company’s valuation and long-term pipeline development.

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Imugene reports Azer-cel Phase 1b data

Written by Liezl GambePublished May. 22 2026Last Updated May. 22 2026

Clinical-stage immuno-oncology company Imugene (ASX:IMU) has released Phase 1b data for its innovative allogeneic CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, azer-cel, following the lifting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference embargo.

The abstract (#7012), published ahead of the upcoming annual meeting in Chicago, highlights encouraging clinical activity and manageable safety profiles in patients with relapsed or refractory blood cancers who have not previously received autologous CAR T therapy.

The trial focused on a CAR T-naïve cohort within an ongoing basket study, evaluating azer-cel in combination with low-dose IL-2.

At the time of the data cut, 19 heavily pre-treated patients had received the treatment, with 16 being evaluable for response following their first formal disease assessment at Day 28.

The patient cohort had a median age of 59 years and represented a broad spectrum of aggressive and indolent CD19 B-cell malignancies.

This included patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, follicular lymphoma, primary central nervous system lymphoma, and Waldenström macroglobulinaemia.

Several participants had previously failed multiple advanced lines of treatment, including bispecific antibodies and autologous stem cell transplants.

Early findings indicate robust CAR T-cell expansion alongside promising response rates, particularly within the MZL and CLL subgroups.

At the time of reporting, Imugene’s share price was $0.125.