The unexpected findings, published in Nature on February 22, uncover facets of CAR immunobiology and underscore the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to advance immunotherapies for cancer.
CRISPR is a
«Cancer cells are relentless in their attempt to evade treatment, so we need CAR T cells that can match and outlast them," explained Michel Sadelain, MD, PhD, senior author on the Nature paper and Director of the Center for Cell Engineering and the Gene Transfer and Gene Expression Laboratory at MSK. «This new discovery shows that we may be able to harness the power of genome editing to give these ‘living therapies’ a
Some of the first clinical trials using CRISPR technology are currently in the planning stages. Dr. Sadelain and his team aim to eventually explore the safety and efficacy of these
CAR T cell therapies, which were first developed at MSK, are transforming the treatment of certain cancers, including several blood cancers. This type of targeted immunotherapy aims to boost the immune system by giving immune cells the information they need to better recognize tumor cells as foreign and attack them. Dr. Sadelain and colleagues have led the efforts to develop these genetically engineered immune cells to fight cancer.
Source: https://www.mskcc.org/press-releases/car-cells-more-powerful-when-built-crispr-msk-researchers-find