IL-3z.CAR

IL-3z.CAR is a first-generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy designed to target the CD123 antigen (interleukin-3 receptor alpha chain). Unlike traditional CAR-T therapies that utilize an antibody-derived single-chain variable fragment (scFv) for antigen recognition, IL-3z.CAR employs the natural human interleukin-3 (IL-3) protein as its extracellular targeting ligand. This ligand is fused directly to the CD3-zeta (CD3ζ) signaling domain. Developed primarily by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the City of Hope, the therapy aims to exploit the high expression of CD123 on leukemic blasts and leukemic stem cells in conditions such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN). While it demonstrated potent preclinical activity, as a first-generation construct lacking costimulatory domains (like 4-1BB or CD28), it has largely served as a foundational asset for subsequent generations of CD123-targeted cell therapies.

Other names

IL-3z.CARIL3z.CARIL 3z.CARIL-3-zeta chimeric antigen receptorIL3-zeta chimeric antigen receptorIL 3-zeta chimeric antigen receptorCD123 ligand-based CARCD-123 ligand-based CARCD 123 ligand-based CAR