EPC-006

EPC-006 is a preclinical-stage cell therapy candidate being developed by Elpis Biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma, including potential applications in lung cancer. It is an armored bispecific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) gamma delta (γδ) T cell therapy. This modality leverages the unique properties of γδ T cells, which can recognize and kill tumor cells in both a TCR-dependent and TCR-independent manner, potentially offering advantages over traditional alpha-beta T cell therapies in solid tumor environments. The "armored" component typically refers to the co-expression of cytokines or other factors designed to enhance T cell persistence, infiltration, and activity within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. While the specific antigen targets for EPC-006 have not been publicly disclosed, the bispecific nature of the CAR allows for dual-antigen targeting to improve specificity and reduce tumor escape.