Allogeneic CAR T Cell Therapy for Cancer

Abstract

Autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, produced from the patient's own T cells, has changed the treatment landscape for hematologic malignancies but has some drawbacks that prevent large-scale clinical application, including logistical complexities in supply, patient T cell health, treatment delays, and limited manufacturing slots. Allogeneic, or off-the-shelf, CAR T cell therapies have the potential to overcome many of the limitations of autologous therapies, with the aim of bringing benefit to all patients eligible for treatment. This review highlights the progress and challenges of allogeneic cell therapies for cancer and the various approaches that are being evaluated preclinically and in clinical trials to enhance the persistence and antitumor efficacy of allogeneic CAR T cells, including new strategies to avoid immune rejection.