CAR T cells + vaccine-educated T cells

**CAR T cells + vaccine-educated T cells** is an investigational combination cell therapy approach that enhances antitumor immunity by pairing engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, which target specific tumor antigens, with vaccine-educated T cells (veTcs). The vaccine boosts CAR-T cell persistence and function, induces metabolic changes increasing interferon gamma production to overcome immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments, and promotes antigen spreading, where host-derived veTcs target additional tumor antigens beyond the CAR specificity. Developed by MIT researchers including Darrell Irvine, it has shown preclinical efficacy in eradicating heterogeneous solid tumors like glioblastoma and melanoma in mice by combining direct CAR-T killing with broad host T-cell responses; licensed to Elicio Therapeutics for clinical translation. Primarily aimed at solid tumors resistant to standalone CAR-T due to antigen escape and poor infiltration.[1]

Other names

CAR-T cells + veTcs