Researchers develop new strategies to enhance CAR T-cell cancer therapies

Researchers are developing new methods to enhance the effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapy, addressing the common issue of tumors evolving to evade immune attacks.

At the Mayo Clinic, scientists have devised a strategy to restore chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell targets on aggressive thyroid tumors. This approach targets the molecular pathways responsible for antigen silencing, helping to re-establish vital receptors on the tumor cell surface that are often lost or downregulated in advanced cancers like anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

Separately, researchers at City of Hope have developed a “plug-and-play” technology designed to make CAR T-cell therapy more adaptive. This system allows for the addition of engineered molecules to the cells after they have been treated, enabling scientists to redirect the cells to attack different types of cancer as a tumor progresses and mutates. This preclinical study aims to overcome the limitations of current therapies, which are often unable to be altered once infused into a patient's bloodstream.