CAPGLO Device Promises Rapid, Low-Cost T Cell Harvesting for CAR T Therapy
CAPGLO is moving toward clinical trials after optimization to harvest T cells in under an hour with a half-pint of blood.
Overview
- CAPGLO magnetizes T cells with protein-coated beads and uses fluorescent tags to enable rapid separation and visualization of target cells.
- The device replaces complex leukapheresis by leveraging simple magnetic fields and minimal blood volume, reducing patient burden and equipment requirements.
- An interdisciplinary team of physicists, cell biologists and immunologists at Case Western Reserve is driving CAPGLO’s development, supported by grants from the Ohio Third Frontier initiative and the university’s Technology Validation and Startup Fund.
- David Wald’s ultra-fast procedure for establishing and expanding CAR T cells in under 24 hours complements CAPGLO’s swift harvesting to streamline the overall therapy timeline.
- Developers believe the underlying separation technology could be adapted for isolating other immune cell types or for purifying cells in regenerative medicine applications.