CliniMACS Prodigy Manufacturing of Switchable, AND-Gate CAR T Cells

Int J Mol Sci. 2025 May 23;26(11):5024. doi: 10.3390/ijms26115024.

Abstract

The Reverse Chimeric Antigen Receptor (RevCAR) system is an adapter CAR T cell technology that allows the precise tuning of T cell activity and, thus, improved safety management. RevCAR T cells recognize and eradicate tumor cells via a bispecific adapter molecule, termed the RevCAR Target Module (RevTM). To further reduce the risk of on-target off-tumor toxicities, Dual-RevCAR T cells can be employed. These cells harbor two different RevCAR constructs, with the signaling domain of either CD3zeta or CD28. Therefore, Dual-RevCAR T cells only exert their full function when both RevCAR constructs are triggered simultaneously upon recognition of two different tumor antigens via RevTMs, enabling a precise AND-gate targeting approach and rendering them highly interesting for clinical application. For this purpose, standardized and reproducible clinical-grade cell manufacturing is required, for which the CliniMACS Prodigy can be used. Here, we present that automated processing of RevCAR and Dual-RevCAR T cells via the CliniMACS Prodigy results in potent expansion, strong transduction, and a favorable phenotype for clinical application. Moreover, obtained cell products were highly functional in a strict RevTM-dependent manner for both monospecific and AND-gate targeting, clearly underlining their high potential for clinical application against various tumor entities.

Keywords: CliniMACS Prodigy; RevCAR and Dual-RevCAR system; adapter CAR T cells; tumor therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology
  • CD28 Antigens / genetics
  • CD28 Antigens / immunology
  • CD3 Complex / genetics
  • CD3 Complex / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive* / methods
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen* / genetics
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen* / immunology
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen* / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes* / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes* / metabolism

Substances

  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen
  • CD28 Antigens
  • CD3 Complex
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Antigens, Neoplasm