CATCH T cells

CATCH (Combined Antigen-specific T-cell receptor and CHimeric antigen receptor) T cells are a novel class of dual-engineered autologous T-cell therapies designed to overcome the limitations of traditional CAR-T cells, such as poor persistence and exhaustion in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Developed primarily at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, CATCH T cells are engineered to express both a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting a tumor-associated antigen (e.g., HER2) and a native or transgenic T-cell receptor (TCR) specific for a common virus, such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV). The mechanism relies on the TCR providing physiological costimulation and survival signals upon encountering viral antigens, which enhances the expansion and long-term persistence of the T cells, while the CAR mediates direct anti-tumor cytotoxicity. This dual-receptor approach aims to leverage the robust memory and proliferative capacity of virus-specific T cells to improve outcomes in solid tumors.

Other names

CATCH T cellsCMV-HER2 CATCH T cellsCMV-HER-2 CATCH T cellsCMV-HER 2 CATCH T cellsCombined Antigen-specific TCR and CAR T cells