AvenCell

AvenCell refers to the therapeutic platform and pipeline of drug candidates developed by AvenCell Therapeutics, which focuses on "switchable" CAR-T cell therapies for hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The core technology, known as UniCAR (Universal CAR-T), utilizes a modular two-component system: an effector component consisting of inert CAR-T cells and a soluble targeting module (TM). The TM acts as a bridge, binding simultaneously to the UniCAR-T cells and a specific tumor-associated antigen, such as CD123 (Interleukin-3 receptor alpha) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or PSMA in prostate cancer. This design allows for precise control over T-cell activity, as the CAR-T cells are only active in the presence of the TM, providing a safety mechanism to mitigate toxicities like cytokine release syndrome. Lead candidates include AVC-101 (an autologous UniCAR-T targeting CD123) and AVC-201 (an allogeneic, CRISPR-engineered UniCAR-T targeting CD123), both of which are in clinical development for relapsed or refractory AML.

Other names

UniCARRevCARUniCAR-TRevCAR-T