Democratizing multiple myeloma CAR T cell therapy by in situ programming of virus-specific T cells”

Description

The objective of this proposal is to develop antigen-presenting nanoparticles (APNs) to program virus-specific T cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). Currently, CAR T cell therapy for MM is hindered by complex and costly manufacturing processes. By leveraging APNs to program circulating T cells in situ, this approach aims to bypass manufacturing challenges and broaden patient access to therapy. Unlike viral methods, APNs offer increased specificity by targeting only virus-specific T cells, minimizing off-target toxicity. Developed by integrating expertise in engineering pMHC molecules and CAR technology, APNs encapsulate CAR-encoded mRNA and decorate lipid nanoparticles with peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules. This collaborative effort seeks to significantly reduce the cost of CAR T cell therapy and enhance its effectiveness in treating MM.