Bringing CRISPR Into The CAR-T Process

By Patrick Paez, Ph.D.

CAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a revolutionary approach in treating blood cancers. However, its application has been limited by high costs and lengthy manufacturing processes. Novel manufacturing methods are bringing exciting advancements in CRISPR-based gene editing that hold promise for overcoming these hurdles.

Learn more about recent advancements in the field as Drs. John Zuris and Hyatt Balke-Want presented their groundbreaking CRISPR knock-in methods for CAR-T cell therapy. These novel methods achieve significantly high knock-in rates, paving the way for cheaper and faster production of CAR-T cells.

Dr. Zuris' SLEEK method utilizes a clever selection system to enrich for edited cells, while Dr. Balke-Want's CEMENT method leverages methotrexate to eliminate unedited cells, resulting in a more purified population. These advancements have the potential to significantly reduce manufacturing complexity and time, making CAR-T therapy more accessible for a broader range of cancer patients.