Researchers at UCLA have crafted a readily available immunotherapy for advanced kidney cancer.

UCLA researchers have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against kidney cancer with the development of a new immunotherapy called AlloCAR70-NKT. This innovative approach uses engineered immune cells to attack kidney cancer tumors without the need for customization for each individual patient.

The study, published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, was led by Dr. David M. Barrett, with Dr. Lili Yang, Dr. Lily Wu, and Dr. Arnold Chin as co-authors. All three researchers are members of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. Dr. Lili Yang is also a member of the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI).

AlloCAR70-NKT cells were designed to resist immune rejection and remain active in the tumor environment. They were created by genetically engineering natural killer T (NKT) cells derived from stem cells to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that targets CD70, a protein commonly found on kidney cancer cells.

The first authors of the study are Yan-Ruide Li and Junhui Hu. The research was supported in part by grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, PICI, and a Kidney Cancer Research Program Award from the Department of Defense.

AlloCAR70-NKT cells demonstrated a multi-pronged attack against kidney cancer. They directly killed cancer cells through both the engineered CAR and their NKT receptors, even in tumors with low levels of the CD70 protein. They also eliminated CD70-positive host immune cells that would normally reject the donor cells and disrupted the tumor's microenvironment, a protective barrier made up of suppressive immune cells.

The new immunotherapy approach could help improve outcomes, reduce complications, and expand access for patients with limited treatment options for kidney cancer. Kidney cancer, particularly metastatic renal cell carcinoma, an aggressive and often fatal form of the disease, has a five-year survival rate of just 12%. Given the disease's resistance to current treatments, there is an urgent need for new and more effective therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Arnold Chin, a co-author of the study, stated that AlloCAR70-NKT cells are a potent, multifunctional, and safer immunotherapy option for metastatic kidney cancer. AlloCAR70-NKT therapy persists longer in the body and sustains its anti-tumor activity due to the elimination of host immune cells. Moreover, AlloCAR70-NKT cells are less likely to cause long-term immune system problems, such as chronic immune suppression or graft-versus-host disease.

This approach bypasses the need to engineer each patient's own cells and overcomes time delays and safety risks associated with traditional immunotherapies, especially for patients with aggressive, late-stage disease. The AlloCAR70-NKT therapy was developed by researchers at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

The development of AlloCAR70-NKT cells is a significant step forward in the fight against kidney cancer. Dr. Lili Yang, professor of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics at UCLA, stated that AlloCAR70-NKT cells are specifically engineered to overcome challenges in cancer immunotherapy, such as limited durability, poor tumor penetration, and immune suppression. This promising new therapy offers hope for patients with limited treatment options and could potentially revolutionize the treatment of kidney cancer.

Researchers at UCLA have crafted a readily available immunotherapy for advanced kidney cancer.