Intravesical mesothelin-based CAR T cells targeting MUC16 effectively control bladder cancer in preclinical models

Intravesical therapies are the mainstay of bladder cancer (BCa) management, but their efficacy is limited by toxicities and recurrences. While CAR T cell therapy has shown promise in hematologic malignancies, its application in solid tumors is limited by poor trafficking and on-target off-tumor toxicities. Here, we identify and validate MUC16 as a clinically relevant target for BCa, noting enriched expression in tumors recalcitrant to existing therapies. We engineered a second-generation mesothelin-based CAR (MSLN-28z) and demonstrated robust activity across multiple BCa cell lines and patient-derived tumor organoids. Intravesical delivery of MSLN-28z CAR T cells in xenograft BCa models conferred superior tumor control compared with intravenous transfer, while attenuating systemic T cell engraftment. Intravesical adoptive transfer uncouples local antitumor efficacy from potential systemic toxicity-a feature conserved across several T cell immunotherapies with on-target off-tumor activity. Collectively, these findings substantiate MUC16 as a therapeutic candidate and validate intravesical delivery as a platform for T cell immunotherapies in the management of organ-confined BCa.