Sine Hadrup, Dept. of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark

Project title:

Nanomaterials for efficacious cancer immunotherapy: in vivo engineering of immune cells and tumor microenvironment

Project description:

To transform the logistically challenging, expensive and ineffective chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy into an ‘off-the-shelf’ in vivo modification strategy that can easily be tailored to the patients’ need. 

The ambition of Center for Nano-Immune Cell-Engineering (NICE) is to transform the logistically challenging, expensive and ineffective chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy into an ‘off-the-shelf’ in patient modification strategy. CAR T-cell therapy is a new type of treatment where cells of the immune system is genetically re-programed to locate and kill tumor cells. In solid tumors, this type of therapy faces multiple obstacles including a costly manufacturing process, lack of persistence, and suppression by cells within the tumor. NICE will address these obstacles by use of small structures in nanoscale size which can be designed and utilized to generate CAR T-cells in the patient (in vivo), modify the tumor environment to favor CAR T-cell activity, and provide continuous stimulation to enhance the persistence of CAR T-cells for long-term attack of the tumor. Together, these initiatives will radically transform the CAR T-cell therapy and greatly benefit cancer patients.

Sine Hadrup is receiving a grant of DKK 37.7 million