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CAR-T Meeting 2026 | Targeting the immunosuppressive bone marrow microenvironment in myeloma with novel CAR T-cells
In this video, Jennifer Feigin, BSc, PhD candidate, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, discusses the development of novel CAR T-cells targeting the immunosuppressive bone marrow microenvironment to combat resistance in multiple myeloma. These cells, known as BCMA-CART-STriKEs, secrete molecules to reprogram immunosuppressive cells in the bone marrow and enhance anti-tumor activity. Dr Feigin notes that preclinical testing has shown promising results and hopes this will lead to the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial. This interview took place at the EBMT-EHA 8th European CAR T-cell Meeting, held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
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Transcript
So in our studies of patient bone marrows, prior to BCMA CAR T-cell therapy, we observed that people who received the therapy and then did not respond had an abundance of immunosuppressive cells in their bone marrow microenvironments. And we hypothesized that these cells were the reason for relapse, and so we designed CAR T-cells that could overcome the immunosuppressive signaling of these cells effectively by secreting novel molecules that both kind of reprogram these immunosuppressive cells and make them into more anti-tumor subtypes and also direct them to kill other immunosuppressive cells within the bone marrow microenvironment...
So in our studies of patient bone marrows, prior to BCMA CAR T-cell therapy, we observed that people who received the therapy and then did not respond had an abundance of immunosuppressive cells in their bone marrow microenvironments. And we hypothesized that these cells were the reason for relapse, and so we designed CAR T-cells that could overcome the immunosuppressive signaling of these cells effectively by secreting novel molecules that both kind of reprogram these immunosuppressive cells and make them into more anti-tumor subtypes and also direct them to kill other immunosuppressive cells within the bone marrow microenvironment. And what we’re hoping is that that activity combined with CAR T-cell anti-cancer killing will lead to more efficacious BCMA CAR T-cell therapies for multiple myeloma.
So we’ve done both preclinical in vitro and in vivo testing. We’ve tested them in three preclinical in vivo models, immunocompetent and immunodeficient, and so we’re very much hoping to be able to translate that into a phase one clinical trial. But it’s very early in the stage of planning at this point.
I think that one of the things that’s really impactful about working on such a translational research project is that ultimately the patients are first and foremost the most important. And I would just like to thank the patients who were generously part of our study, but also that the findings that we discover from them are very much taken from the clinic to the bench and then back from the bench to the bedside. And I just think that that kind of research is really inspiring, but it also makes my work feel very, very impactful. So, I’m very honored to be able to present that work at EHA, so thank you.
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Disclosures
Royalties: Immix Biopharma; Equity: Adimab LLC, Bluebirdbio, Bristol Myers Squibb, Regeneron, GE Healthcare, GE Verona.
