Oncolytic Virus Guides CAR-T Therapy: Imugene and Eureka Therapeutics Forge Strategic Alliance to Pioneer Solid Tumor Treatment

On November 1, 2021, Imugene announced a strategic collaboration agreement with Eureka Therapeutics to evaluate the potential of Imugene’s CD19-expressing oncolytic virus in combination with Eureka Therapeutics’ CD19-targeted T cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors.

The efficacy of CAR-T therapy against solid tumors remains limited, primarily due to the difficulty in identifying specific antigen targets on these malignancies, which account for approximately 90% of cancers worldwide. The combination of oncolytic viruses and T cell therapy represents a novel approach to treating solid tumors. In a preclinical study conducted at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, researchers successfully eliminated solid tumors in mice by combining CAR-T therapy with an oncolytic virus. The oncolytic virus enters tumor cells and induces them to express the CD19 protein on their surface, thereby converting them into targets for recognition and elimination by CD19-targeted T cells.

▲ Mechanism of action of the combination of a CD19-expressing oncolytic virus and CD19-targeted CAR-T therapy (Image source: Imugene official website)

References:

[1] Imugene and Eureka Therapeutics Announce Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Advancement of Oncolytic Virus and T-Cell Therapy in Solid Tumours. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211101005254/en/

(Original text abridged)

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