New cancer therapy seeks out and destroys deadly tumors in major groundbreaking study
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UCLA scientists have developed a “commercially available” cell-based immunotherapy that was able to track and kill pancreatic cancer cells even after they had spread to other organs.
In a mouse study, the treatment slowed cancer growth, extended survival and remained effective even in the harsh environment of solid tumors.
“Even when cancer tries to evade one pathway of attack by changing its molecular signature, our therapy attacks it from many other angles at the same time. The tumor simply cannot adapt fast enough,” lead author Dr. Yanruide Li, a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA, said in a news release.
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To develop the therapy, researchers took human stem cells and converted them into a special type of immune cell called an invariant natural killer T cell (NKT cell).
They then genetically modified those cells by adding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), which allows the cells to recognize and attack pancreatic cancer cells.
UCLA scientists created an off-the-shelf CAR-NKT cell therapy that eliminated pancreas tumors in multiple preclinical models. (iStock)
NKT cells are naturally compatible with any immune system, meaning they can enter the body without causing dangerous reactions, according to researchers. They can also be mass produced using donated blood stem cells.
“One donor could provide enough cells for thousands of treatments,” which could offer a more affordable and accessible approach, according to the news release.
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The team tested the therapy in several laboratory models. These included models in which the cancer was placed directly in the pancreas and others designed to mimic how the disease spreads to other organs, such as the liver and lungs.
The researchers found that the CAR-NKT cells were able to make their way inside the tumor, rather than getting stuck on the outside as many immune treatments do.
The researchers emphasized that one dose could cost around $5,000, much less than personalized CAR-T treatments. (iStock)
Once they entered the body, these engineered immune cells could detect cancer cells in several different ways and kill them using multiple integrated attack methods.
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The most important thing is that they stayed active. Many immune cells that enter a solid tumor quickly become overwhelmed and shut down, but these engineered cells continued to function rather than burn out, allowing them to continue fighting the cancer for a longer period.
The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
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“Developing a therapy that targets both the primary tumor and its metastases in preclinical studies—one that can be ready for use in the market—represents a fundamental change in the way we could treat this disease,” said senior author Dr. Lili Yang, a professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at UCLA, in the same news release.
The researchers noted that one dose could cost around $5,000, much less than personalized CAR-T treatments.
The therapy can be mass produced from donor stem cells, potentially reducing costs and expanding access. (iStock)
According to researchers, pancreatic cancer is notoriously aggressive and difficult to treat. Most patients are not diagnosed until the disease has already spread, and the biology of the tumor creates multiple physical and chemical barriers that weaken the impact of traditional treatments.
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Since the therapy targets a protein that is common in breast, ovarian and lung cancers, the same cellular product could potentially treat multiple types of cancer.
In separate studies, the team has already demonstrated the therapy’s effectiveness against triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Most patients are not diagnosed until the disease has already spread, and the biology of the tumor creates multiple physical and chemical barriers that weaken the impact of traditional treatments. (iStock)
Based on early findings, UCLA researchers are preparing to submit applications to the Food and Drug Administration to begin human trials.
“We have developed a therapy that is potent, safe, scalable and affordable,” Yang said in the statement. “The next critical step is to demonstrate that it can deliver the same results in patients that we have seen in our preclinical work.”
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So far, all tests have been done in mice, as researchers noted that solid tumors in humans are much more complex. Human tumors can evolve and miss the targets that treatments are designed to recognize, increasing the risk that the cancer will escape detection and continue to grow.
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Long-term safety and side effects in humans prior to clinical trials are unknown.
The researchers also noted that manufacturing large batches of safe, identical cells poses logistical and regulatory challenges.
Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant at News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of topics including food and drink, travel and health.