CAR T Cells Engineered with Fusion Proteins Improve Solid Tumor Response

A new approach to CAR T cell therapy, involving engineering the cells to produce fusion proteins combining a cytokine and an antibody, has shown improved efficacy and safety in animal models of prostate and ovarian cancer. Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering , results of the study show early promise to enhance the performance of this therapeutic modality in solid tumors, which make up about 90% of cancer diagnoses.

“We believe this new strategy will provide a productive boost to current CAR T cell therapies and can be applicable to multiple cancer types,” said John P. Murad, PhD, assistant professor of research in the department of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and lead author of the study.

Historically, CAR T therapy has