Autologous CAR-T therapy to reduce anti-HLA antibodies before kidney transplant
Official title: Autologous chimeric antigen receptor engineered T cell immunotherapy for desensitization in patients awaiting kidney transplantation
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11352525 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-facing trial tests a personalized CAR-T cell therapy to lower harmful antibodies that block kidney transplantation in people with end-stage kidney disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 20, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $4,316,508 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI163087-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11352525 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with end-stage renal disease awaiting kidney transplantation and with allo-sensitization due to anti-HLA antibodies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without allo-sensitization or those not eligible for CAR-T therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
This program uses a patient’s own immune cells engineered with CARs to target and deplete specific B cells and plasma cells that produce anti-HLA antibodies. The approach builds on prior CAR-T therapies for blood cancers and aims to create a window where a transplant can proceed. It involves a single-arm clinical trial to see if this strategy can safely reduce antibodies enough to enable transplantation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants may become eligible for a kidney transplant sooner and with lower risk of rejection due to alloantibodies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CAR-T approaches have shown durable B cell depletion and remissions in cancers; translating this to desensitization is exploratory but promising.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Naji, Ali — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Naji, Ali
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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.