A team at UCLA has developed a new immunotherapy that can attack kidney cancer tumors and reprogram the tumor’s defenses—without having to create a personalized treatment for each patient.
The therapy, called AlloCAR70-NKT, is an “off-the-shelf” solution that could make treatment more accessible, reduce side effects, and improve outcomes for patients with few options.
Dr. Lily Wu, a professor of molecular and medical pharmacology and urology at UCLA, explained, “We’ve transformed stem cells into immune cells capable of fighting cancer for any patient, eliminating the need to engineer cells individually. This approach also reduces the time and risks associated with conventional immunotherapies, which is critical for patients with aggressive disease.”
Metastatic kidney cancer is notoriously difficult to treat. Even with recent immunotherapy and targeted drug advances, many patients don’t respond or relapse, and only 12% survive five years. To address this, UCLA researchers engineered NKT immune cells from stem cells to carry a CAR that targets CD70, a protein frequently found on kidney tumors. These cells are designed to survive in the patient’s body and continue attacking tumors while avoiding immune rejection.
Tests in preclinical models showed that AlloCAR70-NKT cells use a multi-step strategy: they directly kill cancer cells, disrupt the tumor’s protective microenvironment, and neutralize immune cells that might reject the therapy. Because these cells don’t permanently stay in the body, they are less likely to cause long-term immune problems.
Dr. Arnold Chin, professor of urology at UCLA, said, “By targeting both the tumor and its surrounding defenses, this therapy shows real potential as a safe and powerful option for metastatic kidney cancer. If these results carry over to patients, it could be a game-changer.”
