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RNS Number : 1008V  Syncona Limited  03 March 2026

03 March 2026

 

Syncona Limited

 

("Syncona")

 

Quell Therapeutics Initiates Phase I/II Clinical Trial of Lead Candidate
QEL-005

 

New data announced from the Phase I/II trial of QEL-001 further validates
technology platform

 

Syncona Ltd, ("Syncona" or the "Company") a leading life science
investor, today notes clinical updates from its portfolio company Quell
Therapeutics ("Quell"), a leader in developing engineered T-regulatory (Treg)
cell therapies for serious medical conditions driven by the immune system.

 

Clinical trial initiated for lead candidate QEL-005

 

Quell has initiated the Phase I/II CHILL clinical study, evaluating its
autologous CAR-Treg therapy, QEL-005, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The initiation follows the recent approval
of the company's Clinical Trial Application (CTA) by the UK Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

 

Quell's lead asset, QEL-005, is a novel candidate built on Quell's proprietary
Phenotype Locked™ CAR‑Treg platform. It is designed to be selectively
activated and exert immune suppression within inflamed tissues and the
surrounding lymphoid structures, providing broad control of disease activity.
This broad mechanism of action differentiates it from CAR-T and other
B-cell-depletion therapies, with pre-clinical data
(https://www.quell-tx.com/news/quell-therapeutics-to-unveil-promising-data-for-qel-005-a-novel-car-treg-cell-therapy-for-complex-autoimmune-diseases-at-acr-convergence-2025)
suggesting that it could offer a safer, better-tolerated option with broad
efficacy in complex autoimmune diseases.

 

The multinational study investigating QEL-005's potential in RA and SSc will
recruit patients in the UK, Germany and Spain, with enrolment underway at
leading clinical centres across the UK. Quell expects to present clinical data
during CY2027, a key value inflection point for the company.

 

New QEL-001 data validates technology platform

 

Quell also announced new interim top-line data from its Phase I/II LIBERATE
trial investigating QEL-001 in liver transplantation, alongside an update on
its broader clinical strategy. Findings from the trial demonstrate the
clinical safety, persistence, and functional stability of Quell's Phenotype
Locked™ CAR-Treg cells for over one year, with evidence of trafficking and
engraftment within target tissues in proximity to infiltrating immune cells
and molecular drivers of inflammation.

 

Based on these interim clinical and translational findings, which validate the
platform, Quell has decided to explore partnership opportunities to progress
QEL-001. As previously announced in Syncona's Third Quarter Update in
February, Quell will prioritise its capital allocation and near-term focus on
the QEL-005 programme, which could access a larger commercial opportunity.

 

Elisa Petris, Managing Partner at Syncona Investment Management Limited and
Board Director of Quell Therapeutics, said: "The initiation of CHILL is an
important milestone for Quell, following the prudent decision to prioritise
the development of QEL-005. Whilst QEL-001 remains an attractive asset with a
growing set of validating data, the opportunity for Quell's technology in
complex autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis,
is significant. We are encouraged by technical progress in the field and by
the team, and we support management's decision to allocate capital to the
programme with the best risk adjusted return."

 

Please find Quell's full announcements at www.quell-tx.com/news
(http://www.quell-tx.com/news) .

 

Enquiries

 

Syncona Ltd

 

Annabel Clark

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3981 7940

 

FTI Consulting

 

Ben Atwell / Natalie Garland-Collins / Tim Stamper

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3727 1000

 

Forward-looking statements - this announcement contains certain
forward-looking statements with respect to the portfolio of investments of
Syncona Limited. These statements and forecasts involve risk and uncertainty
because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that may or may
not occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual
results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied
by these forward-looking statements. In particular, many companies in the
Syncona Limited portfolio are conducting scientific research and clinical
trials where the outcome is inherently uncertain and there is significant risk
of negative results or adverse events arising. In addition, many companies in
the Syncona Limited portfolio have yet to commercialise a product and their
ability to do so may be affected by operational, commercial and other risks.

 

Syncona Limited seeks to achieve returns over the long term. Investors should
seek to ensure they understand the risks and opportunities of an investment in
Syncona Limited, including the information in our published documentation,
before investing.

 

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