TiCARos

Many groups in CAR-T field are trying to improve CAR-T efficacy by modifying the structure of CAR proteins. Representatively, CAR signaling domain derived from costimulatory molecules are being replaced or added.

Beyond such stereotypic strategy, TiCARos focused on a strategy to strengthen contacting force between CAR-T cells and target cells such as APC (antigen presenting cell) and tumor cells by stabilizing the cellular contact zone, immune synapse. CLIP CAR (Clamping-based Immunological Synapse Potentiating CAR) technique of TiCARos stabilizes immune synapse between CAR-T cells and target tumor cells by modifying CAR structure, which results in maximized efficacy of CAR-T cells.

The CLIP CAR T cell product harboring this immune synapse-stabilizing CAR backbone technology showed superior anti-tumor efficacy compared to the CAR T cell product harboring a commercialized CAR backbone in pre-clinical efficacy tests done in tumor-bearing mice.