Improving T-cell therapies for cancer treatment

MODULATION OF CD5 SIGNALING TO ENHANCE ADOPTIVE T-CELL THERAPIES FOR CANCER

NIH-funded research University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11065488

This study is looking at ways to make CAR T-cell therapy work better for cancer patients by removing a protein that stops T-cells from fighting tumors, which could help those with tough-to-treat cancers have better results.

Quick facts

Grant typeR37 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pennsylvania NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11065488 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of adoptive T-cell therapies, particularly chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR T cells), for treating cancer. The approach involves investigating the role of the CD5 protein, which inhibits T-cell activation, to improve the anti-tumor response. By using advanced techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 to delete CD5, the researchers aim to boost T-cell signaling and increase the ability of these engineered cells to kill cancer cells. This could lead to better outcomes for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients with refractory CD19+ B cell malignancies or those with solid tumors who have not responded to existing therapies.

Not a fit: Patients with early-stage cancers or those who do not have B cell malignancies may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective cancer treatments, providing longer-lasting remissions for patients with B cell malignancies and potentially improving outcomes in solid tumors.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in enhancing T-cell therapies, but this specific approach targeting CD5 is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, 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.
Conditions anti-cancer immunotherapyanti-cancer therapyanticancer immunotherapy
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.