ΔhCD19 CAR T cells

ΔhCD19 CAR T cells are a novel type of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy engineered with a safety switch mechanism. This immunotherapeutic approach involves T cells modified to express a CAR that targets specific tumor antigens, providing a potent anti-tumor effect, particularly in hematologic malignancies and potentially solid tumors. The distinguishing feature of ΔhCD19 CAR T cells is the co-expression of a truncated human CD19 (ΔhCD19) on the surface of the CAR T cells. This ΔhCD19 acts as a suicide gene target, allowing for the rapid and selective elimination of the CAR T cells if severe adverse effects, such as Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) or Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS), occur. The elimination is mediated by a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) that simultaneously targets the expressed hCD19 on the CAR T cells and CD3 on endogenous T cells, leading to the apoptosis and death of the CAR T cells. This design aims to improve the management of CAR T cell-related toxicities while maintaining robust anti-tumor activity.