Nb163 CAR T cells

Nb163 CAR T cells are an experimental adoptive T-cell therapy developed using the Sequentially Tumor-Selected Antibody and Antigen Retrieval (STAR) system. This therapy utilizes a nanobody (Nb163) derived from a llama phage-display library to target CD13 (Aminopeptidase N), a cell surface protein highly expressed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and leukemia stem cells. In preclinical studies, Nb163 CAR T cells demonstrated potent cytotoxicity, cytokine release (TNF-α and IFN-γ), and degranulation upon exposure to AML cell lines. In vivo, these CAR T cells induced significant tumor regression in AML xenograft models. While primarily targeting CD13, evidence suggests Nb163 may also recognize an additional, unidentified off-target antigen, as CD13 knockout did not completely abrogate its cytotoxic activity.