Near-Patient Platform for CAR-NK Therapy Optimization in Ovarian Cancer
This research project focuses on a promising new treatment: genetically engineered natural‑killer (NK) cells that can fight cancer. These so‑called CAR‑NK cells are “programmed” in the laboratory to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. The major advantage is that these CAR‑NK cells are produced ready‑to‑use and can therefore be made immediately available to any patient, without lengthy preparation. The biggest problem in developing such cell therapies is that there is no optimal way to test how effective they are before they are used in patients. Current laboratory test methods do not resemble the actual situation in the body well enough and animal studies, besides raising ethical concerns, have limited predictive value. Therefore, VitroScan and Radboudumc are collaborating to develop a new testing platform.
Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer in women. Fewer than half of patients survive five years after diagnosis. This is because the disease is often discovered only at a late stage, and current treatments are insufficiently effective. Therefore, there is an urgent need for better therapies.
By developing a platform that allows testing of CAR-NK cell therapy, this project brings us a step closer to more effective treatments for women with ovarian cancer, which can extend and save lives while preserving a good quality of life.
This platform uses tumor tissue from ovarian cancer patients to create small “mini‑tumors” that more closely resemble the actual tumors in patients. In this way, we can test much more accurately how well the CAR‑NK cells work. Using advanced microscopy and computer analysis, we examine precisely how these CAR‑NK cells attack cancer cells. The results will not only help optimize the treatment, but also provide the data needed for approval by drug‑regulatory authorities, which speeds up the development process of these new therapies.
