NK cells transduced to secrete B7-H3 engagers

**NK cells transduced to secrete B7-H3 engagers** represent an engineered cell therapy modality where natural killer (NK) cells are genetically modified to produce and secrete bispecific or trispecific engagers that target B7-H3 (CD276), a tumor-associated antigen overexpressed on various solid tumors including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). These secreted engagers bridge NK cells to B7-H3-positive tumor cells, enhancing NK cell activation, proliferation, cytokine production (e.g., IFNγ), and cytotoxicity even under hypoxic tumor microenvironment conditions that typically suppress NK function. Developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota, including Jeffrey S. Miller's group, this approach aims to overcome limitations of adoptive NK cell therapies by providing localized, sustained engager production directly at the tumor site, demonstrating superior antitumor activity in preclinical HNSCC models, including patient-derived cells and NSG mouse xenografts, with improved survival outcomes.

Other names

NK cells engineered to secrete B7-H3-targeting engagers