CAR-CLDN18.2

**CAR-CLDN18.2** is a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy engineered to target **Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2)**, a tight junction protein highly expressed in gastric and other gastrointestinal cancers. These genetically modified T cells express an antigen-binding domain specific for CLDN18.2 and may incorporate additional modifications to overcome immune suppression, such as synthetic PD1/CD28 chimeric switch receptors and inducible costimulatory domains (ICOS/CD278)[1][2][5]. CAR-CLDN18.2 designs include both αβ and γδ T cell-based formats; γδ T variants demonstrate superior cytotoxicity and antigen-independent tumor killing potential compared to αβ T cells[4]. These therapies are administered via autologous cell infusion, showing enhanced cytokine release (IFN-γ, TNF-α, Granzyme-B, perforin-1) and selective killing of CLDN18.2-positive tumor cells in vitro and in vivo[1][2][4][5]. The primary clinical indication is advanced gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer, with ongoing trials exploring efficacy and safety[3][9][10].

Other names

Claudin18.2 CAR-TClaudin-18.2 CAR-TClaudin 18.2 CAR-TClaudin18.2-specific CAR-TClaudin-18.2-specific CAR-TClaudin 18.2-specific CAR-TCLDN18.2-directed CAR-TCLDN-18.2-directed CAR-TCLDN 18.2-directed CAR-TCAR-T targeting CLDN18.2