OptiCAR-NK

OptiCAR-NK is an optimized chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cell therapy designed to target CD5-positive T-cell hematological malignancies. Developed by researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) and the Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT), the therapy utilizes a third-generation CAR construct comprising a CD5-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv), CD28 and DAP10 co-stimulatory domains, and a CD3ζ signaling module. The "Opti" designation refers to the strategic fine-tuning of CAR expression levels and scFv binding properties to achieve an optimal signal strength that maximizes cytotoxicity against malignant T cells while minimizing "on-target, off-tumor" toxicity against normal CD5-expressing T cells. This selectivity is further enhanced by the NK cells' innate ability to recognize stress-induced ligands such as B7-H6, which are preferentially expressed on cancer cells and interact with the NKp30 receptor.

Other names

CD5 CAR-NKCD-5 CAR-NKCD 5 CAR-NK