Cancer ResearchUCSF Scientists Reprogram T Cells Inside the Body to Destroy Cancer
Researchers at UC San Francisco have developed a method to create CAR-T cancer-fighting immune cells directly inside the body using CRISPR gene editing. Currently, CAR-T therapy requires removing a patient's T cells, sending them to a lab for genetic modification, and reinfusing them weeks later at a cost of up to $500,000. The new approach uses a two-particle delivery system to insert cancer-targeting DNA precisely into T cells without ever taking them out of the body. In mice with humanized immune systems, the technique successfully fought leukemia, multiple myeloma, and a solid tumor. If translated to humans, this could make CAR-T therapy dramatically faster, cheaper, and more widely accessible, including for older or medically frail patients who struggle with current treatment demands.
