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Updated: Aug 5, 2025
A Nonviral Approach to Generate Transient Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Using mRNA for Cancer Immunotherapy
Published on: February 21, 2025
The Unlikely Development of CAR T Cells: a Brief History and Prospects for the Future
1Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy; Director, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies; Director, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.
Abstract:
The quest to cure cancer has been one of the Holy Grails of medicine. The discovery I am going to share with you, CAR T cells, is a promising new form of therapy of cancer that offers the prospect of curing cancer using the immune system. CAR T cells are the first form of synthetic biology to enter the practice of medicine. The notion of using the immune system to fight cancer is an old idea. Over a century ago, bacteria were ground up and injected into patients with late-stage cancers, and occasionally the cancer would disappear. However, we now have precise tools for genetic editing and gene insertion like CRISPR/Cas9 to rewrite the DNA code, offering the possibility to improve the immune system over what has evolved in a Darwinian fashion. In 2017 for the first time, CAR T cells were approved for the treatment of cancer. Today they are used worldwide in more than 15,000 patients and they offer the promise to move beyond cancer to other fields of medicine such as autoimmune disease and heart disease. Here I will discuss the promises and challenges faced by the evolving CAR T cell industry.
Insights
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy represents a breakthrough in cancer treatment, harnessing the immune system for cures. This synthetic biology approach, approved in 2017, shows promise beyond oncology.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Synthetic Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Cancer treatment has long sought effective cures.
- The concept of using the immune system to combat cancer has historical roots.
- Advances in genetic editing tools like CRISPR/Cas9 enable precise immune system enhancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells as a novel cancer therapy.
- To discuss the potential of CAR T cells in treating cancer and other diseases.
- To explore the evolving CAR T cell industry, including its promises and challenges.
Main Methods:
- CAR T cells represent a form of synthetic biology applied to medicine.
- Genetic engineering techniques allow for the improvement of immune cells.
- CAR T cell therapy involves modifying a patient's T cells to target cancer cells.
Main Results:
- CAR T cell therapy was first approved for cancer treatment in 2017.
- Over 15,000 patients worldwide have received CAR T cell therapy.
- CAR T cells demonstrate potential for treating autoimmune and heart diseases.
Conclusions:
- CAR T cell therapy offers a promising new avenue for cancer cures.
- This immunotherapy represents a significant advancement in medical practice.
- The future of CAR T cells extends to non-oncological applications, with ongoing industry development.
![Dynamic Imaging of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells with [18F]Tetrafluoroborate Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F62334.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
