Genetic Engineering Publications - GEG Tech top picks

According to the results of the phase 1 trial published in Cancer Discovery, the combination of CAR T cell therapy and pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 therapy, appeared safe and feasible for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. 83% of patients who received the regimen remained alive 1 year after CAR-T infusion. The investigators reported no cases of high-grade cytokine release syndrome or neurotoxicity. This study was done with the use of a dose escalation of autologous CAR T cells that target the mesothelin protein on the surface of cancer cells and express an iCaspase-9 gene that serves as a "safety switch" to shut down the activity of the engineered T cells.

The investigators chose a locoregional CAR-T dosing strategy because this type of cancer does not typically metastasize outside the chest cavity.  A Phase 2 study using a fixed dose of mesothelin-directed CAR T cells followed by pembrolizumab is already underway. Four patients have been treated to date.