Background

Accessibility to the tumor is a major limiting factor for CAR-T. The few cells that enter are exposed to a highly immunosuppressive environment. TGF-β is typically elevated in solid tumors, which inhibits immune cells. This includes the body’s regular T‑cells, as well as currently marketed engineered CAR‑T cells. 

Technology Overview

CHLA researchers have created a proprietary platform that allows CAR-T and other immune cells to better persist in a TGF- β rich environment.

As an exemplary application, the research group engineered the CAR-T cells to recognize neuroblastoma cells. The CAR-T cells that incorporated the proprietary constructs demonstrated superior efficacy vs. traditional CAR-T cells.

Benefits

• Better efficacy against solid tumors
• Potential for better targeting of the tumor environment (reduced off‑target effects)

Applications

• Neuroblastoma
• Other solid tumors

Opportunity

• Early stage investors
• Co‑development
• M&A