Technology Networks reports uPAR-directed CAR T therapy supported tumor elimination in glioblastoma models

A new uPAR-directed CAR T cell therapy developed at McMaster University eliminated glioblastoma tumors in preclinical models and disrupted the mechanisms that support recurrence, according to research published in Science Translational Medicine. The therapy reprograms the immune system to target the urokinase receptor protein found on glioblastoma cells and on nearby support cells that fuel tumor growth. Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and common primary brain cancer in adults. Standard treatments often fail to prevent rapid recurrence even after surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Sheila Singh, a McMaster professor of surgery and the study's principal investigator, said new therapies for glioblastoma are urgently needed. The standard of care has remained largely unchanged for over two decades, she said, and the disease remains uniformly fatal. The candidate was developed using antibodies created with scientists at Canada's National Research Council. Singh said the work aligns with research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia University that also targets uPAR in lung and pancreatic cancers. Discussions to move the therapy toward clinical trials are underway at McMaster's Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, with support from NexusHealth, she said. William Maich, a postdoctoral fellow and the study's first author, said the prospect of translating the findings into patient care is motivating. The research group has patented the therapy and is exploring commercial and clinical pathways.