CRISPR Takes the Front Seat in CART-Cell Development

BioDrugs. 2021 Mar;35(2):113-124. doi: 10.1007/s40259-021-00473-y. Epub 2021 Feb 27.

Abstract

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CART)-cell immunotherapies have opened a door in the development of specialized gene therapies for hematological and solid cancers. Impressive response rates in pivotal trials led to the FDA approval of CART-cell therapy for certain hematological malignancies. However, autologous CART products are costly and time-intensive to manufacture, and most patients experience disease relapse within 1 year of CART administration. Additionally, CART-cell efficacy in solid tumors is extremely limited. CART-cell therapy is also associated with serious toxicities. Manufacturing difficulties, intrinsic T-cell defects, CART exhaustion, and treatment-associated toxicities are some of the current barriers to widespread adoption of CART-cell therapy. Genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas systems have demonstrated efficacy in further engineering CART cells to overcome these limitations. In this review, we will summarize the current approaches that use CRISPR to facilitate off-the-shelf CART products, increase CART-cell efficacy, and minimize CART-associated toxicities.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
  • Gene Editing
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen*
  • T-Lymphocytes

Substances

  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen