GlobeNewswire·Nov 8, 2026, 10:30 AM ET

CRISPR Therapeutics Provides Update on Zugocabtagene Geleucel (Zugo-cel) in Refractory Rheumatologic Autoimmune Diseases

CRISPR Therapeutics updated its Phase 1 basket trial of investigational zugo-cel targeting CD19 for refractory rheumatologic autoimmune diseases as of November 8, 2026.
As of October 15, 2026, 21 patients have been dosed across systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), \& idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) cohorts.
Data presented at ACR Convergence 2026 showed 83% (5/6) of SSc patients receiving standard lymphodepletion achieved a clinical response (rCRISS-25) at Month 3, with all responders maintaining their response.
All nine patients with IIM achieved a moderate or major Total Improvement Score (TIS) response.
In the SLE cohort, two of three evaluable patients maintained drug-free DORIS remission through at least Month 9, including one patient beyond one year.
Zugo-cel demonstrated a favorable safety profile across all 21 dosed patients, with no cytokine release syndrome (CRS) above Grade 2, no ICANS, \& no IEC-HS reported.
No dose-limiting toxicities, severe infections, clinically significant hypogammoglobulinemia, prolonged cytopenias, GvHD, \& deaths were reported to date.
Dose escalation is ongoing, with six patients at the 200 million CAR+ cell dose level showing higher CAR-T cell expansion than those at the 100 million dose level.
Zugo-cel is also being evaluated in Phase 1 basket trials for autoimmune hematologic diseases \& autoimmune neurologic diseases.