Houston-based biotech company Cellenkos Inc has announced that the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the way to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial of CK0802 (Cryopreserved Cord Blood Derived T-Regulatory Cells) for treatment of COVID-19 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). 
The trial is designed as a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study to assess safety and preliminary efficacy in this hospitalized patient population. 
Cellenkos Treg platform aims to develop T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapy for various underserved inflammatory diseases and autoimmune disorders. CK0802 is an allogenic cell therapy product consisting of Treg cells derived from clinical-grade umbilical cord blood units and manufactured using Cellenkos' proprietary process. 
“We appreciate FDA's expedited review of our plans to evaluate CK0802 in critically ill, intubated patients suffering from ARDS, a deadly complication of COVID-19,” Elizabeth J Read, MD, Chief Technology Officer, Cellenkos Inc. “Preliminary observations in two intubated COVID-19 ARDS patients, who received cryopreserved cord blood T-regulatory cells under FDA Emergency Use Authorization after failing tociluzumab, were promising. In the forthcoming Phase 1 randomized trial, CK0802 will be assessed for both toxicity and 28-day treatment success, as co-primary outcomes.”
"Use of allogeneic, off-the-shelf cord blood-derived T-regulatory cells has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of inflammatory disorders, specifically in terms of interrupting and arresting the cytokine storm unleashed by COVID-19 infection," said Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee, Columbia University, New York, scientific advisor and collaborator on the multi-center clinical trial.  "Rather than indiscriminate therapy with a drug such as an inhibitor of single cytokine such as IL-6, the T-regulatory cells can potentially calm inflammation exactly where it is most active, without causing a more general "global" immunosuppression that would be harmful in a virally infected patient.  Planned correlative assays during the clinical trial will provide insights into the mechanism of action of CK0802 and its relation to clinical outcomes."
"This is a great milestone for our company and highlights our core strength in rapid scale up and manufacture of novel cellular products", said Tara Sadeghi, VP, Clinical Operations at Cellenkos Inc.  "CK0802 is an off-the-shelf, allogeneic T-regulatory cell product that is cryopreserved, shipped to the clinical site and infused at the patient's bedside.  We are very excited to bring forward this promising, potentially life-saving therapy and look forward to contribute to the growing therapeutic armamentarium for COVID-19."
 Cellenkos says it already holds two FDA INDs for inflammatory bone marrow failure syndromes and demyelinating polyneuropathy.

CK0802 is an off-the-shelf, allogeneic T-regulatory cell product that is cryopreserved, shipped to the clinical site and infused at the patient's bedside