On May 14, 2025 Hangzhou Qihan Biotech Co., Ltd. ("Qihan" or "Qihan Biotech" or "the Company"), an industry leader in applying multiplexable genome editing technology to cell therapies and organ transplantation, reported new advancements in its universal CAR-T cell therapy research, to be presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) (Press release, Qihan Biotech, MAY 14, 2025, View Source [SID1234653102]).
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Through systematic exploration of T cell cytokine pathways, Qihan Biotech identified two novel cytokines that significantly enhance CAR-T cell activity. By engineering the corresponding receptor pathways, the company achieved robust CAR-T expansion in non-human primate models without lymphodepletion preconditioning and observable toxicity. This breakthrough offers a promising strategy to optimize CAR-T therapies and enables safer application in autoimmune diseases, paving the way for broader clinical use of CAR-T therapies.
Dr. Luhan Yang, Founder and CEO of Qihan Biotech, stated: "This research marks a significant step forward in CAR-T therapies. Enhancing CAR-T efficacy without lymphodepletion and toxicity could unlock its full potential in treating autoimmune diseases. We plan to begin clinical studies in 2025."
Poster Presentation Details:
Poster #1761: Enhanced CAR-T cell functions without lymphodepletion via engineering cytokine pathways
Session: Poster Abstract Session
Session Dates: May 13–15, 2025