Imugene (ASX:IMU) said that its phase 1b trial of azercabtagene zapreleucel (azer-cel) in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma showed an 82% overall response rate, with most patients responding within one to three months, according to a Monday filing with the Australian bourse.

The durability of responses is improving, particularly in patients treated with azer-cel alongside interleukin-2, per the filing.

Azer-cel, an allogeneic "off-the-shelf" chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, aims to overcome the access, manufacturing, and timing limitations of autologous CAR T-cell treatments, the filing said.

The phase 1b trial is continuing at 10 sites in the US, with up to six sites planned in Australia after the first Australian patient at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital achieved a complete response, the filing added.