Making CAR T-cell treatments for cancer more effective and available
Improving the Efficacy of Allogeneic Cell Therapies of Cancer
This project aims to create ready-to-use CAR T-cell treatments from healthy donors to fight advanced cancers more effectively and affordably.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11131138 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Current CAR T-cell treatments, while powerful for some blood cancers, are often custom-made for each patient, which can be slow, costly, and vary in how well they work. We are working to develop "off-the-shelf" CAR T-cells from healthy donors that could be readily available and consistently potent. A challenge with these "off-the-shelf" cells is that a patient's own immune system might reject them. Our approach involves engineering these new CAR T-cells to protect themselves by targeting and removing the patient's immune cells that would otherwise cause rejection, allowing the cancer-fighting cells to persist longer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with advanced hematological (blood) cancers or solid tumors who might benefit from CAR T-cell therapy could be ideal candidates for future studies.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage cancers or those not suitable for CAR T-cell treatments may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make powerful CAR T-cell therapy more accessible, affordable, and effective for a wider range of cancer patients, including those with solid tumors.
How similar studies have performed: While CAR T-cell therapy has shown success, this project introduces a novel "first-in-class" approach to prevent immune rejection of "off-the-shelf" cells, building on existing knowledge.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mo, Feiyan — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Mo, Feiyan
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 below.