The US Food and Drug Administration has given an accelerated approval to a new therapy for synovial sarcoma, the first engineered cell therapy for a solid tumour to receive a marketing approval. The product, Tecelra (afamitresgene autoleucel), is directed against tumours that express the melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4), a marker for the disease. Synovial sarcoma is a rare type of soft tissue sarcoma which can occur in many parts of the body but most frequently in the extremities. The product was developed by Adaptimmune Therapeutics Plc.
