#DeGregorio Foundation #Gastroesophageal Cancer #CAR T cell therapy

$750,000 Grant to Revolutionize Gastroesophageal Cancer Treatment

In a groundbreaking initiative, the DeGregorio Family Foundation, with assistance from the Torrey Coast Foundation, has awarded a substantial $750,000 grant in honor of Michael F. Price. This funding aims to facilitate clinical trials for an innovative dual-targeted CAR T cell therapy designed to combat advanced gastroesophageal cancer.

Dr. Eric Smith, Dr. Andrew Aguirre from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Dr. Sam Klempner from Massachusetts General Hospital are the key research figures behind this ambitious project. Traditional chemotherapy Regimens have struggled significantly in managing advanced gastric and esophageal cancers, which underscores the urgent need for pioneering treatments like CAR T cell therapy.

The Promise of CAR T Cell Therapy

CAR T cell therapy has emerged as a transformative approach for certain blood cancers, effectively repurposing a patient's immune cells to locate and eliminate cancer cells. The current project takes this concept further by customizing next-generation CAR T technology specifically for gastric and esophageal adenocarcinomas. Key to this advancement is the incorporation of a dual-target design, aiming for more comprehensive treatment solutions and sustained patient responses.

In initial CAR T trials targeting the CLDN18.2 protein, researchers observed encouraging signs, such as tumor shrinkage. However, these responses often fall short of permanence. One significant challenge arises from the presence of this protein fluctuating within individual tumors, leading to variability and sometimes ineffective treatment when cancer cells adapt their surface markers.

Dual-CAR T Cells: A Two-Pronged Attack

Building upon insights gained from extensive patient tumor sample analysis, the researchers have developed dual-CAR T cells capable of responding to two distinct tumor markers. This