Celyad Stops Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer Trial Amid Reported Fatalities

Celyad Oncology SA CYAD has decided to voluntarily pause the CYAD-101-002 (KEYNOTE-B79) Phase 1b trial, a part of a collaboration with Merck & Co Inc MRK. 

• The trial is evaluating the company's CYAD-101 administered concurrently with FOLFOX chemotherapy, followed by Merck's Keytruda (pembrolizumab), in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer.
• CYAD-101 is a TCR Inhibitory Molecule (TIM)-based allogeneic NKG2D CAR T cell investigational therapy.
• The company has received reports of two fatalities presenting similar pulmonary findings. 
• Related: Celyad Oncology Shares Gain After Fortress Injects $32M Via Equity.
• The company has decided to voluntarily pause the dosing and enrollment in the CYAD-101-002 trial to investigate these events. 
• In twenty-five patients previously treated with CYAD-101 in the alloSHRINK Phase 1 trial, which evaluated the TIM-based investigational candidate for advanced mCRC, no-dose limiting toxicities were reported. 
• Price Action: CYAD shares closed higher by 5.92% at $3.22 on Friday.