University of Calgary researchers and doctors at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre are running a clinical trial for an experimental chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to treat solid cancerous tumors.
The therapy, called GCAR1, uses genetic engineering and synthetic biology to rewire a patient's immune system. It redirects T-cells to recognize and fight cancer cells, offering a personalized treatment when chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are no longer effective.
Early results from the trial, which has treated two patients with metastatic alveolar soft-tissue sarcoma, are promising. One patient's life was extended by 18 months. The other has shown significant tumor shrinkage after two treatment rounds.
The trial is now recruiting patients at four additional medical centers across Canada. Researchers estimate it will take 10 to 15 years for the therapy to become part of routine treatment. They hope to expand this immunotherapy approach to treat other cancer types in the future.