Quell Clinical Updates
Summary by AI BETAClose X
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 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.
Enquiries
Syncona Ltd
Annabel Clark
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3981 7940
FTI Consulting
Ben Atwell / Natalie Garland-Collins / Tim Stamper
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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.
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