Hydrogel for CAR-T therapy
Novel hydrogel with optimized mechanical and structural properties to resemble artificial lymph nodes and improve primary human CAR-T cell manufacture
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T) therapy is a promising adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Cells are harvested from the patients and are genetically modified to express an artificial receptor, the CAR, that selectively targets cancer cells. T cells are expanded ex vivo and re-infused in the patient to destroy cancer cells.
This novel hydrogel has mechanical and structural properties that mimic the lymph nodes, which enhanced CAR expression and T cell proliferation. That is crucial because CAR T ACT needs a sufficient expansion of cells, but also to ensure that as many cells as possible are expressing the CAR receptor.