Caribou Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ: CRBU) announced long-term efficacy data for its experimental cell therapy vispa-cel in patients with second-line large B cell lymphoma. The data was presented at the European Hematology Association Annual Meeting on June 12, 2026.

In the ANTLER phase 1 clinical trial, 27 second-line large B cell lymphoma patients received a single dose of 80 million vispa-cel CAR-T cells. The treatment achieved an 82% overall response rate and a 67% complete response rate, with a median progression-free survival of 17.1 months as of the March 6, 2026 data cutoff.

The safety profile showed no reports of graft-versus-host disease or grade 3 or higher immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome in the 27-patient group. One patient experienced grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome. Six patients had grade 3 or higher infections, and five experienced prolonged cytopenias. Two deaths were reported, one related to the treatment and one possibly related.

Vispa-cel is an off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapy that targets CD19 and includes a PD-1 knockout designed to enhance cell activity. The FDA has granted the therapy Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy, Fast Track, and Orphan Drug designations for B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Caribou has aligned with the FDA on the design of ANTLER-3, a pivotal phase 3 trial expected to enroll approximately 250 patients. The study will compare vispa-cel to standard-of-care treatments in second-line large B cell lymphoma patients who are not eligible for transplant or autologous CAR-T cell therapy. The trial will be conducted at approximately 75 clinical sites globally, including academic and community centers in the United States.