Improving CAR T cell therapy to reduce harmful side effects

Ameliorating off-target toxicities of CAR T cells by engineering NOT gates

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · NIH-10892156

This study is looking at ways to make CAR T cell therapy safer and more effective for people with solid tumors by creating special T cells that can tell the difference between cancer cells and healthy tissue, helping to reduce side effects.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO (nih funded)
Locations1 site (SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-10892156 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing CAR T cell therapy, which has been effective for treating B cell cancers, by developing new methods to prevent harmful side effects when targeting solid tumors. The approach involves engineering T cells with multi-receptor circuits that can distinguish between cancerous and normal tissues, thereby reducing the risk of off-target toxicity. By using bioinformatics to identify specific antigens that are unique to healthy tissues, the researchers aim to create circuits that deactivate CAR T cells when they encounter these antigens. This innovative strategy could lead to safer and more effective treatments for patients with solid tumors.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients with solid tumors who may benefit from CAR T cell therapy but are at risk of off-target effects.

Not a fit: Patients with B cell cancers who are already effectively treated with existing CAR T cell therapies may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer CAR T cell therapies that minimize harmful side effects for patients with solid tumors.

How similar studies have performed: While CAR T cell therapies have shown success in treating B cell cancers, the approach of using NOT gate circuits for solid tumors is novel and has not been widely tested.

Where this research is happening

SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.