US20260078341
2026-03-19
Chemistry; metallurgy
C12N5/0638
The described invention focuses on compositions and methods for treating diseases linked to cancer-associated antigens. It involves the use of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that are specific to these antigens. The invention includes vectors that encode these CARs and recombinant T cells that express them. A key aspect is administering genetically modified T cells with CARs that target specific cancer antigens.
Central to the invention is the construction of isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding CARs. These CARs consist of an antigen binding domain, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular signaling domain. The antigen binding domain can include various antibody fragments, while the transmembrane domain is derived from proteins like CD8. The intracellular signaling domain may contain costimulatory and primary signaling domains.
The CARs are designed to bind a wide array of tumor antigens. These include well-known targets such as CD19, EGFR, and HER2/neu, as well as less common antigens like CS-1, FLT3, and CAIX. This broad range of targets allows for the potential treatment of multiple cancer types, using the same underlying CAR technology.
Various embodiments of the CARs include different structures for the antigen binding domain, such as single-chain variable fragments (scFv) or camelid VHH domains. The transmembrane domain is flexible, with options including sequences from CD8 or other immune cell receptors. Additionally, hinge regions can be incorporated to enhance the flexibility and functionality of the CARs.
The invention's primary application is in adoptive cell transfer therapy, where engineered immune cells are used to target and destroy cancer cells. By utilizing CARs that bind specific tumor antigens, the approach aims to improve the precision and effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. This method holds promise for treating various hematologic and solid tumors by harnessing the body's immune system.