The trial’s first recruit Jason Walker, with wife Michelle (Image: The Christie)
The first patient on a cutting-edge UK-led clinical trial has told the Express he hopes it will transform their blood cancer treatment – and help thousands of others. Blood cancers – like leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma – typically develop in our bone marrow where they multiply and affect our blood cells.
One treatment is powerful immunotherapy but 70% of patients can suffer side-effect Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), a potentially dangerous reaction sending a quarter into intensive care. The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, in Greater Manchester, has launched the TOPICAL trial to see if experimental anti-inflammatory ‘POLB 001’ can stop CRS and transform immunotherapy for – at first – multiple myeloma sufferers but potentially other blood cancers too.
Jason Walker at The Christie (Image: The Christie)
And the trial’s first patient has told us of his hopes it will allow more people to have their immunotherapy at home, with CRS no longer a risk.
Decorator Jason Walker, of Longridge, near Preston, Lancashire, was aged 45 when persistent back pain and double vision led to the devastating news in February 2014 of his “terminal” stage 3 multiple myeloma.
He started chemo but suffered a heart attack at work that he fears was “caused by a blood clot possibly due to the chemotherapy.” He added: “It was frightening, but thankfully I recovered.”
In the last decade to keep prolonging his life Jason’s had two stem cell transplants and enjoyed five years in remission but last November soft lumps on his head led to doctors to discover his myeloma had relapsed
After being unable to tolerate a three-drug combination, he was referred to The Christie’s clinical trial team and became the TOPICAL team’s first recruit.
Three weeks ago Jason, now 57, started 14 cycles of treatment and has been feeling great, attending circuit training as the new drug appears to be stopping the side-effects of immunotherapy.
He said: “I feel very lucky to be on the trial and I hope it works, not just for myself, but for the wider myeloma warriors out there. If taking part helps improve treatment for others, that’s really worthwhile.
“I’ve been living with this disease for 12 years and you have to keep looking forward. I’ll keep fighting and making the most of every day.
“Any hope in a difficult situation is good. I feel blessed to be on the trial, it’s like I’ve won something better than the lottery.”
Jason and Michelle Walker with daughter Abbey (Image: The Christie)
Jason said he has learned the importance of maintaining a positive outlook despite living with cancer for more than a decade, adding: “I try to keep a positive attitude and laugh about cancer.
“But I do sometimes get mad and swear at it. Cancer doesn’t care, but I won’t let it get to me.”
Jason, and wife Michelle, have two grown-up children, are grandparents to their son Oliver’s seven-year-old daughter Harper, and looking forward to their daughter Abbey’s wedding in Montenegro next May.
He went on: “I need to get through this as I’m giving her away and want to be well enough to walk my beautiful daughter down the aisle!”
Dr Emma Searle, consultant haematologist at The Christie, said: “Immunotherapy treatments are transforming survival rates for patients with difficult-to-treat blood cancers, but their use will continue to be restricted until we find a way to deliver them safely outside of specialist hospitals.
“Because of the risk of CRS, which can be dangerous, many patients can’t be treated near to home which is a real problem.
“Many patients have to stay in hospital to receive immunotherapy and some must travel long distances for treatment in specialist centres.
“If this new therapy can safely reduce the risk of CRS, it could help give these treatments near to or in peoples’ homes.
“Ultimately, our aim is to help more patients benefit from these life-saving therapies while reducing the burden of treatment on patients, families and the NHS.”
Bob and Linda Munro (Image: The Christie)
Bob Munro, 66, from Windsor, can testify to the effectiveness of one of the immunotherapy drugs they are using in the trial alongside anti-inflammatory ‘POLB 001’ – as it has saved his own life already.
Bob was diagnosed with myeloma in 2012 and was been kept alive by a series of new treatments but in 2022 he had exhausted them all.
It was then that Bob, married to Linda and with two grown-up sons, joined a clinical trial for new T-Cell engaging immunotherapy teclistamab that’s now being used in the TOPICAL trial – that decision proved life-changing.
Although Bob suffered CRS, multiple infections and COVID-19 during that teclistamab trial, it proved effective and by early 2023, he was in remission for the first time in 11 years – where he remains today.
He has just completed the biggest amateur cycling challenge there is – riding all 2,000 miles of the 2025 Tour de France route, one week ahead of the professional race. His team aim is to raise £1million for the blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia, who will fund a research nurse for the TOPICAL trial.
Bob believes the anti-inflammatory ‘POLB 001’ being evaluated in the TOPICAL trial could transform the experience of many patients living with myeloma and free up valuable hospital beds.
He said: “This drug is very encouraging and could have made a huge difference to me and my family, both by alleviating the side effects and reducing the time spent in hospital.
“It has real potential to help patients and give them more access to new drugs because they can be treated closer to home and not in specialist centres.
“There are also significant health economic benefits, as patients would not need to take up a hospital bed for as long.”
Bob climbing the French Alps on his bike (Image: The Christie)
The TOPICAL trial plans to recruit around 30 patients with relapsed or treatment-resistant multiple myeloma. Participants will receive POLB 001 alongside an approved bispecific antibody therapy like Bob’s immunotherapy drug teclistamab.
Patients will participate in the research at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Facility (CRF): Manchester, at The Christie, among other sites.
Co-chief investigator Dr Rakesh Popat, a consultant haematologist at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “While CRS in the most part is manageable, it leads to increased use of hospital resources for close monitoring and administration of treatment once it occurs.
“Having an oral preventative treatment can help reduce this and make the treatment easier for patients.”
* To donate to The Christie Charity to help other cancer trials visit – https://www.christie.nhs.uk/the-christie-charity
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
