Sign in Subscribe
Macrophages

Breakthroughs in Immunotherapy: CAR Technology Advances Cancer Treatment

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Advances in immunotherapy, particularly the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology, have revolutionized the treatment of hematological diseases. Recent research has highlighted the potential of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to develop renewable sources for CAR-based therapies, overcoming scalability and donor variability challenges. This review explores the latest developments in iPSC-derived CAR-T cells and macrophages, differentiation protocols, gene engineering strategies, and mitigation of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).

Key Takeaways:

  • Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology has shown significant success in treating hematological diseases, but scalability and donor variability remain significant challenges.
  • Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has emerged as a promising solution for developing renewable sources for CAR-based therapies.
  • The use of iPSC-derived CAR-T cells and macrophages can enhance accessibility to low-frequency immune cell populations, including MR1-restricted abT, gdT, Natural Killer T (NKT) and Microglial cells.
  • The latest research has highlighted the importance of overcoming histocompatibility constraints in iPSC-derivation.
  • The development of iPSC-based therapies faces ongoing clinical experience and manufacturing challenges, requiring further exploration.
  • Key researchers include Isabelle Riviere from Cell Therapy Sciences, Takeda, Cambridge, MA, United States, and Debora Basilio-Queiros, Sjoukje J. C. van der Stegen, and Nico Lachmann.

Statistics:

  • Advances in manufacturing scalability and genetic engineering position iPSC-based therapies at the forefront of clinical strategies to address unmet clinical needs in cancer treatment.
  • The use of iPSC-derived CAR-T cells and macrophages has shown promising results in addressing challenges associated with traditional CAR-based therapies.
  • Research has identified several low-frequency immune cell populations that can be targeted using iPSC-derived CAR-T cells and macrophages, including MR1-restricted abT, gdT, Natural Killer T (NKT) and Microglial cells.

Sources:

  • iPSC-derived T cells and macrophages: Manufacturing and next-generation application approaches. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2025:115713.
  • Elsevier. 2025. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. Elsevier, Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands. (www.elsevier.com; www.journals.elsevier.com/advanced-drug-delivery-reviews/)
  • NewsRx. New Drug Research Findings from Takeda Described (iPSC-derived T cells and macrophages: Manufacturing and next-generation application approaches). Drug Week. October 31, 2025; p 1785.

Read more