Switchable CAR-T Cells Outperformed Traditional AntibodyRedirected Therapeutics Targeting Breast Cancers

Various antibody-redirected immunotherapeutic approaches, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies (bsAbs), and chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells, have been devised to produce specific activity against various cancer types. Using genetically encoded unnatural amino acids, we generated a homogeneous Her2-targeted ADC, a T cellredirected bsAb, and a FITC-modified antibody capable of redirecting anti-FITC CAR-T (switchable CAR-T; sCAR-T) cells to target different Her2-expressing breast cancers. sCAR-T cells showed activity against Her2-expressing tumor cells comparable to that of conventional anti-Her2 CAR-T cells and superior to that of ADC- and bsAb-based approaches. To prevent antigen escape, we designed bispecific sCAR-T cells targeting both the Her2 receptor and IGF1R, which showed an overall improved activity against cancer cells with low Her2 expression. This study increases our understanding of various explored cancer therapeutics and underscores the efficient application of sCAR-T cells as a promising therapeutic option for breast cancer patients with low or heterogeneous antigen expression.

Automated summary

This study developed various antibody-redirected immunotherapeutic approaches for breast cancer treatment, including a homogeneous Her2-targeted ADC, a T cellredirected bsAb, and FITC-modified antibody capable of redirecting anti-FITC CAR-T cells. The use of sCAR-T cells showed superior activity against Her2-expressing tumor cells compared to conventional anti-Her2 CAR-T cells, ADCs, and bsAbs. Additionally, bispecific sCAR-T cells targeting both Her2 receptor and IGF1R were designed to prevent antigen escape and showed improved activity against cancer cells with low Her2 expression.