T-cells

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CAR T-cell therapy and how it’s used at CIRM 

/ California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)

By Holly Alyssa MacCormick  The human body is remarkably adept at defending itself from harmful cells and foreign substances, but sometimes it needs a little help. One way that scientists boost the immune system is through a form of genetic engineering known as chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR T-cell therapy. This therapy is currently used to treat certain cancers, but it may soon be used to treat other diseases as well. The biology behind CAR T-cell therapy  T-cells are a special type of immune cell that works as a sentinel in the … Continue reading CAR T-cell therapy and how it’s used at CIRM 

Early trial shows promise for one‑shot cure for HIV 

/ California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)

By Holly Alyssa MacCormick  A single infusion of a modified CAR-T cell therapy could pave the way for a potential one-shot cure for HIV, according to preliminary findings of a small, early-stage clinical trial. Steven G. Deeks, MD, the principal investigator of this California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)-funded clinical trial, discussed the findings at a recent CIRM board meeting.  Steven Deeks, MD Photo: UCSF Roughly 40 million people worldwide and more … Continue reading Early trial shows promise for one‑shot cure for HIV 

A Step Forward in the Fight Against Advanced Kidney Cancer

/ Christina Smith / 1 Comment

Photo Courtesy: Allogene Therapeutics Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an advanced kidney cancer with limited treatment options and a five‑year survival rate below 17%. With CIRM’s support, Allogene Therapeutics is developing ALLO‑316, an allogeneic CAR‑T cell therapy that targets CD70, a protein highly expressed on clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumors. The approach … Continue reading A Step Forward in the Fight Against Advanced Kidney Cancer

Supporting a CAR T-cell trial for kidney cancer

/ California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) / Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Allogene Therapeutics. Image of the ALLO-316 allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $15 million to Dr. John Le Gall and his team at Allogene Therapeutics. This funding supports ALLO‑316, an anti‑CD70 CAR‑T therapy for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common kidney cancer. Looking for … Continue reading Supporting a CAR T-cell trial for kidney cancer

Investing in CAR T-cell therapy to treat cancer

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Photo credit: UC Regents  The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is investing $4 million to support Dr. William Murphy and UC Davis researchers in developing and testing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to treat various B-cell malignancies, from lymphomas to leukemias.  In this Q&A—courtesy of UC Davis Health—Dr. Murphy discusses the importance of T-cell therapy and its … Continue reading Investing in CAR T-cell therapy to treat cancer

Myocarditis in Cancer Patients Is Driven by Specific Immune Cells

/ California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) / Leave a comment

In a new study, researchers from UC San Francisco and Vanderbilt University Medical Center have identified specific immune cells that cause a potentially lethal heart inflammation -called myocarditis- in a small fraction of patients treated with powerful cancer immunotherapy drugs. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle. It can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, … Continue reading Myocarditis in Cancer Patients Is Driven by Specific Immune Cells

A better, faster, more effective way to edit genes

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Clinical fellow Brian Shy talks with postdoctoral scholar Tori Yamamoto in the Marson Lab at Gladstone Institutes on June 8th, 2022. Photo courtesy Gladstone Institutes. For years, scientists have touted the potential of CRISPR, a gene-editing tool that lets you target a specific mutation and either cut it out or replace it with the corrected form of … Continue reading A better, faster, more effective way to edit genes

An experimental gene therapy with a hairy twist

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In October 2019, 20-year-old Jordan Janz became the first person in the world to receive an experimental therapy for cystinosis. Cystinosis is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the accumulation of an amino acid called cystine in different tissues and organs of the body including the kidneys, eyes, muscles, liver, pancreas, and brain. This accumulation … Continue reading An experimental gene therapy with a hairy twist

CIRM Grants $5.8M for Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy Research

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The American Cancer Society estimates that this year in the United States, there will be 268,490 new cases of prostate cancer. It also estimates that 34,500 men will die from the cancer in 2022. Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men.   These stark statistics are why the California … Continue reading CIRM Grants $5.8M for Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy Research

Recovery from muscle loss injuries hindered by immune cell conflicts

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During a game in 2018, Alex Smith suffered a compound fracture that broke both the tibia and fibula in his right leg. The gruesome injury aside, the former 49ers quarterback soon developed life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis — a rare bacterial infection — that resulted in sepsis and required him to undergo 17 surgeries. In a battle to save his … Continue reading Recovery from muscle loss injuries hindered by immune cell conflicts