CAR-T cell-amplifying RNA vaccine (CARVac)

CAR-T cell-amplifying RNA vaccine (CARVac) is a therapeutic platform designed to enhance the efficacy of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, particularly in solid tumors where T-cell persistence and infiltration are often limited. Developed primarily by BioNTech, CARVac consists of an mRNA-lipoplex vaccine that encodes the same tumor-associated antigen (such as Claudin-6) targeted by the CAR-T cells. Upon systemic administration, the vaccine delivers the mRNA to antigen-presenting cells in lymphoid tissues, which then express the target antigen on their surface. This presentation provides a natural stimulus to the engineered CAR-T cells in vivo, promoting their expansion, persistence, and anti-tumor activity. By addressing the common challenges of poor CAR-T cell survival in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, CARVac aims to improve clinical outcomes in various cancers, including testicular, ovarian, and other solid malignancies.

Other names

CAR-T cell-amplifying RNA vaccineCAR-T cell-amplifying RNA-lipoplex vaccineRNA-LPX vaccineCAR-T booster vaccine

Encodes a CAR-specific antigen to stimulate and expand CAR-T cells in vivo