A novel cell therapy developed by researchers at Los Angeles-based UCLA Health has shown effectiveness against metastatic pancreatic cancer in preclinical models, according to a study published Nov. 21 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The therapy, called CAR-NKT cell therapy, uses engineered cells to target and destroy tumors in both orthotopic pancreatic models and metastatic liver models, a Nov. 24 news release from the health system said.
CAR-NKT cells can bypass solid tumor defenses and recognize cancer through multiple independent mechanisms. They can be mass-produced from donated blood stem cells and stored for off-the-shelf use, potentially reducing time to treatment and lowering manufacturing costs to around $5,000 per dose, the release said.
The UCLA team is now preparing to submit clinical trial applications to the FDA.
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