Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Researchers identify target with potential to improve CAR T-cell therapy response in patients with blood cancers

Researchers have identified a protein called cathepsin B that can prevent CAR T-cells from tearing off fragments from cancer cells, allowing them to stay active longer and fight cancer more effectively. This breakthrough could lead to improved durability and outcomes for patients with recurrent or difficult-to-treat blood cancers.

SourceUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine·JournalSignal Transduction·DateJun 15, 2026

AI-informed approach to CAR design enhances bi-specific CAR T cells

St. Jude researchers developed a computational method to design tandem CARs that target two cancer-related proteins, overcoming previous challenges and function better in treating animal models of cancer. The approach demonstrated improved surface expression and anti-tumor function, clearing tumors in four out of five mice.

SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalMolecular Therapy·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 13, 2025

A battle of rafts: How molecular dynamics in CAR T cells explain their cancer-killing behavior

Researchers investigated how two CAR T cells kill cancer with distinct signaling domains. CD28.ζ-CAR molecules work quickly and efficiently, while 4-1BB.ζ-CAR molecules linger in lipid rafts for sustained collaborative killing of tumor cells. This study aims to design CAR molecules maximizing antitumor activity beyond B cell malignancies.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalScience Advances·DateJan 10, 2025

Research by City of Hope and other scientists may help patients overcome resistance to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy

City of Hope researchers and collaborators have developed a new method to facilitate encoding numerous features in T cells, allowing for the simultaneous targeting of multiple tumor escape mechanisms. The 'zip-sorting' system doubles genetic information capacity, enabling improved anti-tumor activity and longer-lived T cells.

SourceCity of Hope·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·DateDec 23, 2024

Too tight! Loosening CAR’s grip on Tregs improves function, researchers find

Researchers have found that loosening the grip of engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) Tregs improves their function and effectiveness in treating autoimmune diseases. By adjusting the affinity of the CAR, the study shows that Tregs can suppress immune responses while reducing pro-inflammatory consequences.

SourceMedical University of South Carolina·JournalMolecular Therapy — Methods & Clinical Development·DateDec 19, 2024

New CAR-T cell therapy gives hope for patients with aggressive blood cancer

A new chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy called obe-cel has delivered promising results in treating patients with an aggressive blood cancer. The treatment reduced immune toxicity and persisted for longer in patients, overcoming two common limitations of earlier CAR-T cell therapies.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateNov 29, 2024

Unexpected immune response may hold key to long-term cancer remission

A new study published in Nature has found that the type 2 immune response is positively correlated with long-term cancer remission, contradicting previous theories that it promotes tumor growth. The research used samples from pioneering clinical trials and revealed a statistically significant correlation between type 2 immune factors a...

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 26, 2024

Improved chemokine homing enhances CAR T–cell therapy for osteosarcoma

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital identified two chemokines, CXCL8 and CXCL16, expressed by osteosarcoma that improved CAR T-cell homing. Modified cells expressing these chemokine receptors showed enhanced infiltration into tumors, leading to prolonged survival in a model of metastatic disease.

SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalClinical Cancer Research·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 5, 2024

Chinese Medical Journal review article highlights the potential and promise of CAR-T cell therapy in autoimmune diseases

Researchers have identified CAR-T cell therapy as a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, and type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Early studies have shown promising results in reducing disease activity and improving patients' quality of life, but long-term data on safety and efficacy is limited.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeLiterature review·DateApr 22, 2024

An immunotherapy to overcome resistant leukemia

Researchers have discovered a new immunotherapy approach to overcome resistant leukemia by targeting the mutated TP53 gene. Combining pharmacological therapies with genetically engineered CAR T-cells increases effectiveness against cancer cells, offering promising strategies for patients with resistant disease.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalEMBO Molecular Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 21, 2024

Promising target for CAR T-cell therapy leads to potent antitumor responses against cutaneous and rare melanomas

Researchers at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified the protein TYRP1 as a promising target for CAR T-cell therapy. The study demonstrates potent antitumor responses against cutaneous and rare melanoma types, offering new hope for treating these challenging-to-treat cancers.

Novel bispecific design improves CAR T–cell immunotherapy for childhood leukemia

Researchers created an additional means for therapy to find and eliminate cancer cells using a small peptide, demonstrating better efficacy in lab tests and in vitro experiments. The study used computational analysis and predicted protein models to understand how structure impacts antigen recognition and therapy efficacy.

SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalCell Reports Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 12, 2024

Treatment with bendamustine prior to CAR T-cell therapy in patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma associates with poorer treatment outcomes

A study found that patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma who received bendamustine before CAR T-cell therapy had a shorter progression-free survival and overall response rate compared to those who did not receive bendamustine. The use of bendamustine should be avoided in these patients when possible.

SourceVall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateDec 19, 2023

Third-generation anti-CD19 CAR T-cells demonstrate efficacy without neurotoxicity in B-cell lymphoma phase 1 clinical trial

A phase 1 clinical trial demonstrates the efficacy of third-generation anti-CD19 CAR T-cells in treating relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas without causing neurotoxicity. The study also shows a robust response rate of 52% and improved safety profile compared to previous CAR T-cell therapies.

SourceMalaghan Institute of Medical Research·JournalBlood·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 11, 2023

Scientists engineer potent immune cells for ‘off-the-shelf’ cancer immunotherapy

Researchers at UCLA have developed a new method to engineer more powerful immune cells that can potentially be used for 'off-the-shelf' cell therapy to treat challenging cancers. Gamma delta T cells with high expressions of CD16 surface marker exhibited increased ability to recognize and kill cancer cells.

Researchers identify ‘switch’ to activate cancer cell death

A research team from the University of California - Davis Health has identified a crucial epitope on the CD95 receptor that can trigger programmed cell death in cancer cells. This finding could lead to improved cancer treatments and potentially enhance CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors like ovarian cancer.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalCell Death and Differentiation·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 23, 2023

A suit of armor for cancer-fighting cells

A new approach to CAR T cell therapy has been developed by modifying T-cells with a sugar molecule and PEG coating to prevent interactions with macrophages, reducing severe side effects. This strategy offers a therapeutic window for treatment and opens up potential applications for other cellular immunotherapies.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 18, 2023

Cartesian Therapeutics announces landmark study in The Lancet Neurology of first successful clinical trial of RNA cell therapy in autoimmunity

Cartesian Therapeutics has successfully treated patients with generalized myasthenia gravis using an RNA CAR-T therapy. The trial demonstrated marked and long-lasting clinical improvement, with three patients achieving complete or near-complete eradication of disease symptoms.

SourceCartesian Therapeutics·JournalThe Lancet Neurology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJun 22, 2023

ASCO: Axi-cel significantly improves survival in patients with early relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma

A Phase III trial found that axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with early relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, compared to standard therapy. The estimated four-year survival rate was 54.6% with axi-cel.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJun 5, 2023