Adoptive T cell therapy for solid tumors is limited by autologous manufacturing complexity and, in allogeneic settings, risks including graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), HLA restriction, and donor variability. We develop a scalable, feeder-free platform to differentiate gene-engineered hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) into allogeneic, NY-ESO-1-specific cytotoxic T (AlloESO-T) cells. Product phenotype, function, tumor homing, and safety are assessed against solid tumor models and benchmarked to peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived TCR-engineered T cells. AlloESO-T cells display a uniform cytotoxic phenotype, with dual tumor targeting through a transgenic TCR and natural killer receptors. Relative to PBMC-derived counterparts, AlloESO-T cells show superior cytotoxicity, selective solid-tumor homing, durable killing persistence, and resilience to immune evasion. They also maintain low GvHD and cytokine release syndrome risk, while retaining stable hypoimmunogenic features. These findings establish HSPC-derived AlloESO-T cells as an off-the-shelf, mono-specific cytotoxic T cell therapy with scalable manufacturing, enhanced efficacy, and improved safety, which support broad applicability of AlloESO-T cells across solid tumors.
Yichen Zhu, Jiaji Yu, Y. J. Kim et al.· Cell Reports Medicine· 0 citations
HSPC-engineered allogeneic CAR-NKT cells are established as a promising, scalable, and safer immunotherapy platform for MS, supporting their advancement toward clinical translation.
Highlights from the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting demonstrate significant advances in ADC design, including dual- and multi-payload constructs, multispecific targeting strategies, and immunostimulatory payloads, with the potential to improve clinical outcomes across diverse cancer types.