Universal donor derived CD33 CAR-NK

Universal donor derived CD33 CAR-NK is an allogeneic cell therapy utilizing natural killer (NK) cells. These NK cells are sourced from healthy, unrelated donors, making them an "off-the-shelf" product. They are genetically engineered to express a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) that specifically targets the CD33 antigen, which is highly expressed on the surface of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. The CAR-NK cells are designed to induce selective toxicity in CD33-expressing tumor cells. Some versions of this therapy also incorporate CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to knock out the CD38 gene (CD38KO) in the NK cells, which aims to enhance their potency and prevent interference with potential co-administered CD38-targeting therapies. Beyond CAR-mediated cytotoxicity, these engineered NK cells also leverage their inherent natural killing mechanisms and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IFN-γ to augment their anti-tumor effects. This approach offers a targeted treatment strategy for AML, particularly relapsed or refractory cases, with a potentially reduced risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), cytokine release syndrome (CRS), and neurotoxicity compared to traditional CAR-T cell therapies. The therapy is currently under development by Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Other names

CD33 CAR-NK cellsCD-33 CAR-NK cellsCD 33 CAR-NK cellsUniversal-Donor CD38KO CD33CAR-NK cellsallogeneic anti-CD33 CAR NK cells