Broadening the scope of chimeric antigen receptor therapies
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Citation
Abstract
The field of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) based therapies has led to a paradigm shift in medicine: cells as drugs. The use of cell-based therapies to treat cancer has revolutionized the field of cancer immunotherapy and made the hope of a cancer cure a reality for many patients. While the landscape of CAR-based therapies is predicted to transform the field of cancer therapy, there are several shortcomings that still need to be addressed. First, while some patients experience long-lasting remission, many others relapse after treatment. Second, the use of CAR-based therapies has been primarily limited to hematological malignancies and have yet to be successfully developed for use against solid tumors. Finally, due to the high price tag and lengthy manufacturing process, CAR-based therapies remain inaccessible to many patients who could benefit from them. This thesis will examine these challenges and review the various strategies that are currently used to address them.