Engineered CAR T Cells Localize IL-12 to Tumors, Shrink Prostate and Ovarian Cancers in Mice

By tethering IL-12 to a PD-L1 blocker, the strategy concentrates immune stimulation at tumor sites with limited systemic toxicity.

Overview

Institutional teams at USC Norris and City of Hope report the preclinical results in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
The CAR T cells secrete a fusion protein linking IL-12 to an anti–PD-L1 antibody so cytokine activity accumulates where PD-L1 is elevated.
Mouse studies show improved T cell infiltration and a less suppressive microenvironment alongside significant tumor shrinkage.
Researchers are evaluating the approach in pancreatic models with plans to extend to colorectal and brain tumors, with first-in-human trials targeted within one to two years.
Funding came from the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense and the NIH, and authors disclosed related patents and advisory roles.