Cell Therapy Platforms

CAR-T Cell Platform – Accessing a new treatment entity for solid tumors

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cells are specific immune cells with a genetically engineered receptor (CAR), a special binding protein linked to an activating domain, to target naturally occurring tumor antigens on the surface of cancer cells – thus helping the body to address cancers that it would not be able to combat on its own. Addressing one of the major challenges in harnessing the power of CAR T cell therapies for solid tumors, we are developing a new generation of CAR T cell candidates targeting novel solid-tumor-specific antigens identified from our proprietary antigen library. 

Currently, the two major limitations hampering the efficacy of CAR T cell therapies in solid tumor indications are insufficient penetration of the dense tumor tissue by T cells and gradual loss of T cell function over time. To overcome these hurdles, we have combined our CAR T cell approach with an mRNA cancer vaccine (CAR T cell Amplifying RNA Vaccine, CARVac) based on our mRNA-lipoplex technology. The CARVac delivers the blueprint of the respective CAR T target antigen for production in antigen-presenting cells, thereby aiming to boost CAR T cell activity and persistence. 

Neoantigen-based T Cell Platform – targeting a patient’s unique tumor

Our neoantigen-based T cell platform enables us to develop individualized T cell therapies targeting multiple selected mutations, so-called neoantigens, that are unique to each patient's tumor. Our platform is designed to identify and extract neoantigen-targeting T cells from the individual patient’s blood. In a proprietary stimulation process, these selected T cells are being activated and expanded in the laboratory (ex vivo) and re-infused into the patient to exert a strong and precise immune response against the patient’s unique tumor.

TCR-T Cell Therapies

Alongside our CAR T and neoantigen-based T-cell approaches, we are establishing our T-Cell Receptor (TCR) platform to develop TCR engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies targeting shared antigens. TCRs recognize epitopes of tumor antigens presented on the surface of cancer cells via specialized receptors after intracellular processing, while CARs recognize naturally folded surface proteins. Therefore, this additional approach complements our efforts to create T-cell therapies for tumor antigens (surface protein for CAR T and shared epitopes for TCR-T) as well as neoantigens. To accelerate our TCR-T therapy efforts and to pave the way for future personalized engineered TCR-T therapies, we entered strategic collaborations to improve the product potency and the ex vivo manufacturing.