Johns Hopkins Medicine has pioneered a groundbreaking treatment for T-cell leukaemias and lymphomas, addressing a critical challenge in targeting these cancers while preserving the immune system.
This innovative therapy involves an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets a protein called TRBC1, specifically expressed on the surface of T-cell cancers.
The antibody directs the ADC to seek out cancer cells expressing TRBC1, allowing the attached anti-cancer drug, SG3249, to be released within the cancer cells, and effectively killing them.
Unlike B-cell cancers, treating T-cell leukaemias and lymphomas presents unique obstacles. Traditional therapies often eliminate both cancerous and healthy T cells, leaving patients vulnerable to infections due to a compromised immune system.
With this ADC approach, however, the selective targeting of TRBC1 enables the eradication of cancerous T cells expressing this protein while preserving normal T cells expressing TRBC2, thus maintaining essential immune function.
Annually, approximately 100,000 patients worldwide are affected by T-cell leukaemias and lymphomas. Unfortunately, adults with relapsed T-cell cancers face limited treatment options and dismal five-year survival rates ranging from 7% to 38%.
T-cell cancers typically express either TRBC1 or TRBC2, while normal T cells exhibit a combination of both. By specifically targeting TRBC1, this therapy offers a promising avenue for eliminating cancerous T cells while sparing healthy ones.
Previous attempts to target TRBC1 cancers using CAR T-cell therapy faced challenges as the engineered CAR T cells were not persisting inside patients, crucial for sustained cancer cell elimination. Investigating this issue, researchers discovered that normal T cells were killing the CAR T cells designed to target TRBC1, hindering their persistence and efficacy.
This innovative ADC therapy represents a significant advancement in the treatment of T-cell leukaemias and lymphomas, offering hope for improved outcomes and quality of life for patients facing these challenging diseases.
