Advanced CAR T-cells for T-cell Cancers
Official title: Dual-targeting allogeneic CAR T-cells for universal therapy of T-cell malignancies
Funded at March Biosciences INC · NIH-11177941 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to create a new type of CAR T-cell therapy using donor cells to fight aggressive T-cell leukemias and lymphomas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | March Biosciences INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $986,080 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA295245-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177941 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-cell lymphoma (TCL) who have limited treatment options would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancer or those whose T-cell malignancies do not express the CD5 and CD7 markers may not receive benefit from this specific therapy.
What this research studies
Aggressive T-cell leukemias and lymphomas are difficult to treat, especially when they return or don't respond to initial therapies. While CAR T-cell therapies have helped other blood cancers, treating T-cell cancers is tricky because healthy T-cells share similar markers with cancer cells. This project is developing a new kind of CAR T-cell therapy that targets two specific markers on cancer cells, CD5 and CD7, using T-cells from a donor. These donor T-cells are specially prepared to reduce the risk of complications and are designed to be more effective against diverse cancer cells. The goal is to create a more accessible and powerful treatment option for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could offer a new, more effective treatment option for patients with aggressive T-cell leukemias and lymphomas that have not responded to other treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CAR T-cell therapies targeting single markers (CD5 or CD7) have shown promising results in early clinical trials, but this dual-targeting, donor-derived approach aims to overcome their limitations.
Where this research is happening
-
March Biosciences INC
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hein, Sarah Marie — March Biosciences INC
- Study coordinator: Hein, Sarah Marie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Engineered CAR-T Therapy to Target Liver Cancer
A new CAR-T cell treatment is being developed for hepatocellular carcinoma to better recognize tumors and resist the immune-suppressing environment.
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CD5 CAR-T therapy for T-cell lymphoma shows promise in a multi-center trial
A phase 2 study tests a CD5-targeted CAR-T cell therapy in people with relapsed or refractory T-cell lymphoma to see if it can improve outcomes.
-
Targeting T-cell cancers with engineered immune cells
This study is testing a new kind of immune cell therapy that aims to help people with tough-to-treat blood cancers like T-cell leukemia and lymphoma by using specially modified cells to attack cancer while protecting healthy cells.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.