Cartesian President and CEO Murat Kalayoglu, M.D., Ph.D./Courtesy Cartesian Therapeutics
Cartesian Therapeutics is developing non-permanent cell therapies that can be used soon after diagnosis and address a wide range of diseases beyond cancer. The biotechs approach to cell engineering relies upon RNA rather than DNA to effect changes within the cells.
The benefit, Cartesian President and CEO Murat Kalayoglu, M.D., Ph.D. told BioSpace, is that our RNA approach, compared to a traditional DNA modification, offers an order of magnitude greater control over the therapeutic product and what happens when those cells are in the body. A high level of control is important if cell therapy is to be used in the treatment of either front-line cancer or in indications where the choice isnt between life and death.
RNA has a measurable half-life, Kalayoglu explained, so cell therapies driven by RNA arent permanent. The cells cant proliferate out of control. Consequently, Cartesian can develop cell therapy for newly diagnosed populations and for autoimmune, respiratory and inflammatory diseases, for example.
In contrast, conventional cell therapy involves engineered DNA, which makes a permanent change in the cell, he pointed out. When it is infused back into the patient and encounters its target, it proliferates and can lead to toxicities. For example, conventionally modified CAR-T therapies may proliferate so much they create cytokine release syndrome or neurotoxicity. Also, the cells may persist a very long time, increasing the risk of infection or transformation. Those risks are acceptable in life and death situations, but generally not acceptable in less dire situations.
Cartesians technology is known as the RNA Armory. Basically, with this platform, were using the cell as a factory and also as the vehicle to deliver RNA therapies directly to the targeted diseased tissue. It gives us the opportunity to engineer multiple RNA therapeutics into one cell type, Kalayoglu said.
The specific mechanism behind the RNA Armory is proprietary, but he said it enables tens to hundreds of billions of viable, highly-functional cells to be manufactured in a given production run. Thats important because adoptive cell therapy requires cells to be dosed into patients over time since the duration of therapy is finite. Conventional cell therapy, in contrast, relies on the cells to proliferate inside the body, often for a once-and-done therapy.
Cartesian has three programs in clinical development. The furthest along, Descartes-08, targets generalized myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease. Its composed of autologous CD8+ T-cells engineered with RNA-encoding chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that bind B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). The goal is to kill the plasma cell clones that produce the pathogenic autoantibodies. Earlier work showed a good safety profile and significant clinical improvements in patients after only a short duration of therapy. Theres a real opportunity to make a significant impact on the disease, Kalayoglusaid.
Likewise, Descartes-30 targets the web of inflammatory proteins known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that mediate ARDS. As yet, NETs are not addressed by any approved medications. Neutrophils try to control infections by putting out spiderwebs of NETs designed to capture virus particles and bacteria, but NETs also cause inflammation, Kalayoglu explained. That can become too much of a good thing, so Descartes-30 secretes two proteins that degrade NETs synergistically.
Descartes-30, is being used to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Unlike Cartesians other programs, this one uses mesenchymal stem cells rather than T cells and is being developed as an allogeneic, off-the-shelf therapy. As such, it may have applications in treating COVID-19 patients and other NET-related diseases.
The remaining clinical program, Descartes-11, is being used to treat patients with multiple myeloma. Its currently enrolling participants in a Phase II clinical trial.
Each of these programs is based on the RNA Armory platform. That platform was developed for the companys own therapeutic pipeline, but Kalayoglu said he anticipates opportunities for out-licensing and partnerships. Well let clinical data drive those decisions.
Long-term, opportunities may include using the platform as a vehicle for combination therapies from assets developed by multiple companies. Using this platform, he suggested combination therapies may be able to be tested together, simultaneously, rather than developed independently and then combined and tested. The latter is very capital- and time-intensive, requiring three to five years and tens of millions of dollars, just to learn whether the combination works synergistically, Kalayoglu pointed out.
With RNA Armory, we can engineer those combination drugs directly into a cell, using the cell as a factory for producing those products and also as a vehicle to deliver them to the site of disease. Thats the future of cell therapy: combinations, Kalayoglu said.
There are some limitations, of course, in terms of the number of potential therapeutic combinations. He also acknowledged the usual safety concerns, which are amplified as you engineer additional therapeutics.
Nearly a year ago, researchers from Houston Methodist Research Institute indicated that RNA therapeutics will actualize personalized medicine, and will make the term undruggable obsolete, they wrote in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology.
RNA cell therapy is a nascent field, Kalayoglu pointed out, where opportunities abound. Most of the work in this specific area tends to be conducted in academic centers. I hope others will follow our lead, and go beyond oncology, using adoptive cell therapy to treat a variety of indications.
Originally posted here:
Cartesian Aims to Propel RNA Cell Therapy with Combinations - BioSpace
- Paralysed patient now able to walk as stem cell therapy shows promising results - WION - April 15th, 2024
- Andrew Steele Sees Aging as the Root of Disease - Worth - Worth Magazine - April 15th, 2024
- The astonishing effect of stem cell implants - as groundbreaking treatment 'transforms' life for those with brain damage ... - Daily Mail - April 15th, 2024
- Consumer Alert on Regenerative Medicine Products Including Stem Cells - FDA.gov - April 13th, 2024
- This Startup Wants To Be OpenAI Of Stem Cell Therapy, Targets $250B Market - Forbes - April 13th, 2024
- Brain-cell transplants are the newest experimental epilepsy treatment - MIT Technology Review - April 3rd, 2024
- Global Regenerative Medicine Market to Touch Valuation of USD 472.95 Billion by 2032, at 25.86% CAGR: Astute ... - Yahoo Finance - April 1st, 2024
- Explosive Growth Projected for Stem Cell Market, Expected to Surpass $37 Billion by 2030 As Revealed In New... - WhaTech - April 1st, 2024
- Integrating New Therapies With Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in Myeloma - Targeted Oncology - April 1st, 2024
- New tool provides researchers with improved understanding of stem cell aging in the brain - Medical Xpress - March 30th, 2024
- The ISSCR announces 2024 election results - EurekAlert - March 28th, 2024
- Exosomes and Stem Cells Are the Future of Anti-Aging - NewBeauty Magazine - March 28th, 2024
- Charles River Extends Gene Therapy Alliance with NUS Medicine - Contract Pharma - March 22nd, 2024
- Exciting opportunities in stem cell technology and regenerative biology in Indian healthcare industry - Express Healthcare - March 22nd, 2024
- Charles River Announces Extension of Gene Therapy Manufacturing Alliance with NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine - Yahoo Finance - March 22nd, 2024
- Opinion: The revolutionary sickle cell therapies - MSN - March 22nd, 2024
- 10 Years of Kansas Regenerative Medicine Center - KSAL - March 22nd, 2024
- BioCardia and StemCardia Announce Biotherapeutic Delivery Partnership - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology - March 17th, 2024
- Cynata Therapeutics' breakthrough in regenerative medicine - Finance News Network - March 17th, 2024
- New Positive Data Presented on Briquilimab Conditioning in Patients with Fanconi Anemia - GlobeNewswire - March 17th, 2024
- Novel 3D stem cell therapy to treat critical limb ischaemia - Drug Target Review - March 15th, 2024
- Breaking Boundaries: Pharmicell's Bold Vision for Healthcare Transformation and Monumental Growth - The Worldfolio - March 15th, 2024
- CuSTOM Organoid Research Evolving From Tool to Treatment - Research Horizons - Research Horizons - March 15th, 2024
- BioCardia and StemCardia Announce Partnership to Deliver Cell-Gene Therapy for Remuscularization of Heart - Cath Lab Digest - March 15th, 2024
- Calidi Biotherapeutics and City of Hope Announce Funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine ... - Business Wire - March 13th, 2024
- Iron restriction keeps blood stem cells young, researchers find - Phys.org - March 13th, 2024
- Vitamin A could have a key role in both stem cell biology and wound healing: Study - Medical Dialogues - March 9th, 2024
- Trends in Stem Cell Transplantation Refusal for Myeloma Treatment - Targeted Oncology - March 7th, 2024
- Stem Cell Therapy Market (CAGR) of 31.1%, Future of Market Size Emerging Technologies and their Impact on ... - Taiwan News - March 7th, 2024
- This Swedish startup wants to reduce the cost, and controversy, around stem cell production - TechCrunch - March 6th, 2024
- Advancing stem cell therapy: The regulatory process to get to clinical trials - The Economic Times - March 6th, 2024
- Transitioning from traditional surgical methods to the innovative use of stem cells - pharmaphorum - March 6th, 2024
- 'Mini organs' are grown from human stem cells taken during the late stages of pregnancy for the first time - m - Daily Mail - March 6th, 2024
- Stem cell transplant cures man of HIV and leukemia, one of five to achieve full remission - Fox 28 - March 3rd, 2024
- Stem Cell Therapy Market to Boost USD 137.5 Billion by 2034 and Projected to grow at 32.10% CAGR with increasing ... - Yahoo Finance - March 1st, 2024
- Studies expand use of stem cell therapies - WPLG Local 10 - March 1st, 2024
- Innovative therapy targets and destroys leukemia stem cells - News-Medical.Net - February 27th, 2024
- Unlocking the Potential of Stem Cells: The Medical Revolution of the Century - EIN News - February 27th, 2024
- Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces $16.75M Series A Financing led by GV to Revolutionize Regenerative Medicine ... - Yahoo Finance - February 27th, 2024
- Say Her Name - Henrietta Lacks, The Real Mother Of Stem - Her Campus - February 27th, 2024
- California Man Free of HIV And Cancer in Astonishing Medical Recovery - ScienceAlert - February 25th, 2024
- $93 million for research into improved health for children, young people and the aged, medical devices, mental health ... - Department of Health - February 25th, 2024
- Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine - PMC - National Center for ... - February 24th, 2024
- The Promise and Reality of Stem Cell Therapy: What You Need to Know - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Stem Cell Therapy: A Beacon of Hope for Patients with Untreatable Conditions - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Leading Experts in Stem Cell Therapy: A Global Overview - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Can Stem Cells Help Reverse the Effects of Aging? - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Stem Cell Therapy for Cancer: Hope on the Horizon? - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Stem Cells and Autism: A Closer Look at Innovative Treatments - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Regrowth and Restoration: The Science Behind Stem Cell Therapy for Hair - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Brain Recovery: The Role of Stem Cells in Stroke and Cerebral Palsy Treatments - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Turning Back the Clock: The Science of Stem Cells in Anti-Aging - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Insights into cellular therapies for cancer treatment - Drug Target Review - February 22nd, 2024
- The Role of Stem Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis Recovery - Corporate Wellness Magazine - February 22nd, 2024
- Dr Ernesto Romeros vision transforms immunotherapy regenerative medicine into a global leader in stem cell treatment - Khaleej Times - February 22nd, 2024
- World-Renowned Doctors Leading the Way in Stem Cell Research and Treatment - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Choosing the Best: A Guide to America's Premier Stem Cell Therapy Providers - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Navigating Through the Possibilities of Stem Cell Treatment for Eye Disorders - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Global Leaders in Stem Cell Therapy: Where Excellence Meets Innovation - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Excellence in Stem Cell Treatment: How the US is Pioneering Global Healthcare Solutions - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Clarifying Memory Loss Treatments: The Role of Stem Cells - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Battling Inflammation: Stem Cell Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Digestive Health and Stem Cells: Treating Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Top Stem Cell Clinics in the USA: Pioneering Treatments for Chronic Conditions - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Stem Cells and Autism: Understanding the Potential for Innovative Treatments - Medical Tourism Magazine - February 20th, 2024
- Stopping the awakening of sleeping Acute Myeloid Leukaemia stem cells to prevent disease relapse - University of Birmingham - February 20th, 2024
- City of Hope Achieves Ground Breaking Treatment for Blood Cancer and HIV - Medriva - February 18th, 2024
- Regenerative Medicine Market Size to Worth USD 95 Billion by 2032 - InvestorsObserver - February 18th, 2024
- North America Organoids Market Projected to Reach US$ 5.35 Billion by 2030, Riding on a CAGR of 21.5% - GlobeNewswire - February 18th, 2024
- Chinese team tests lung treatment that may be first to reverse COPD damage - South China Morning Post - February 15th, 2024
- Why leukemic stem cells not harmed by chemotherapy begin to grow and produce AML cells after treatment - Medical Xpress - February 15th, 2024
- Regenerative Medicine Market is Expected to Reach $49.0 Billion | MarketsandMarkets - Yahoo Finance - February 15th, 2024
- Study finds interleukin-24 enhances CAR-T cell therapy's effectiveness against cancer stem cells - News-Medical.Net - February 15th, 2024
- Oldest Patient 'Cured' of HIV Still in Remission 5 Years After Transplant for AML - Medpage Today - February 15th, 2024
- Drug used for cocaine addiction may pave way for new treatment of advanced colon cancer - EurekAlert - February 15th, 2024
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Their Role in Development and Disease Therapy - The Scientist - February 15th, 2024
- Biomedical Researcher Seeks to Improve Outcomes in Stem Cell Treatments - University of Arkansas Newswire - February 13th, 2024
- Top 3 grants in regenerative medicine: January 2024 - RegMedNet - February 13th, 2024
- Scalise returning to Washington next week with cancer in complete remission - The Hill - February 13th, 2024
- Unlocking the power of stem cell therapy - Drug Target Review - February 9th, 2024
Recent Comments