New CAR-T Cell Therapy Shows Promise for Solid Tumor Treatment

In the realm of cancer treatment, CAR-T cell therapy has revolutionized blood tumor care, yet it struggles with solid tumors—accounting for 90% of all cases. The FDA has approved six CAR-T treatments for blood cancers, but none for solid tumors. Enter Dr. Xingxing Zang's team at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who developed a new CAR-T therapy targeting solid tumors.

Their innovation? The TOP CAR-T therapy, which uses TMIGD2 as a potent and persistent co-stimulatory domain, outperforming current third-generation CAR-T treatments. This approach enhances T cell activity, targeting both CD8 and CD4 T cell subsets, and improves mitochondrial metabolism for longer cell survival.

Safety is paramount; the team added a "kill switch" to quickly eliminate CAR-T cells if needed, reducing severe side effects like cytokine storms. Preclinical tests in humanized mice showed remarkable results: 100% survival in pancreatic and brain tumor models, compared to 14% and 43% with traditional CAR-T.

The study, published in Science Advances, highlights the potential of TOP CAR-T to treat various solid tumors, including those resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Future plans include developing universal CAR-T cells and multi-target therapies. Dr. Zang seeks partners to expedite clinical trials and bring this promising treatment to patients.

Key Terms:

• CAR-T Cell Therapy: A type of immunotherapy using genetically modified T cells to target cancer cells.
• Solid Tumors: Cancerous growths in tissues, as opposed to blood-borne cancers.
• Cytokine Storm: A severe immune reaction where the body produces too many cytokines, leading to organ damage.