Sugar-coated CAR-T cells survive longer and shrink lymphoma tumors in mice

Article excerpt

Researchers at Florida International University coated CAR-T immune cells with sugar in laboratory experiments, finding the modification helped the cells survive longer and shrink lymphoma tumors in mice. CAR-T therapy, which extracts a patient's T-cells, genetically engineers them to recognize cancer, and reinfuses them to attack tumors, has already proven effective against blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia. The sugar coating appears to shield the cells from the body's defenses that normally wear them down. If the approach translates to humans, it could extend how long CAR-T cells remain active and potent, potentially improving outcomes for cancer patients who currently see their engineered cells lose effectiveness over time.