Human cancer-targeted immunity via transgenic hematopoietic stem cell progeny

Human cancer-targeted immunity via transgenic hematopoietic stem cell progeny.

Nowicki TS, Deen NNA, Peters CW, Comin-Anduix B, Medina E, Puig-Saus C, Carretero IB, Kaplan-Lefko P, Macabali MH, Garcilazo IP, Chen D, Pang J, Berent-Maoz B, Haile S, Rodriguez J, Kawakami M, Kidd CK, Champhekar A, Carlucci G, Vega-Crespo A, Chmielowski B, Singh A, Federman N, Schiller GM, Larson SJ, Allen-Auerbach M, Klomhaus AM, Zack J, Baltimore D, Yang L, Kohn DB, Witte ON, Ribas A. Nat Commun. 2025 Jul 1;16(1):5599. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-60816-z. PMID: 40593578 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

Publication Abstract

Adoptive transfer of genetically engineered T cells expressing a tumor-antigen-specific transgenic T cell receptor (TCR) can result in clinical responses in a variety of malignancies. However, these responses are frequently short-lived, and patients typically relapse within several months. This phenomenon is largely due to poor persistence of the transgenic T cells, as well as a progressive loss of their functionality and terminal differentiation in vivo. This underscores the need for cell therapy approaches able to sustain the initial antitumor efficacy and lead to long-term antitumor efficacy. Herein, we report the use of tandem cell therapies involving autologous T cells and hematopoietic stem cells engineered to express the NY-ESO-1 TCR for the treatment of solid tumors in a first-in-human phase I clinical trial (NCT03240861). This therapy is shown to be safe, feasible, and leads to initial tumor regression activity. T cell progeny from the HSC progenitors is shown to provide circulating transgenic NY-ESO-1 TCR-T cells, which display tumor-antigen-specific antitumor functionality, without any evidence of anergy or exhaustion. These results demonstrate the utility of transgenic HSCs to generate a self-renewing source of tumor-specific cellular immunotherapy in human participants. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT NCT03240861.