Inherited genes could help make CAR T therapies safer and more effective Written byBree Foster, PhD ++

Inherited genes could help make CAR T therapies safer and more effective Analysis of two pivotal Yescarta clinical trials revealed that patients' germline DNA influences both toxicity risk and CAR T expansion, opening new opportunities for smarter cell therapy design. Written byBree Foster, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/inherited-genes-could-help-make-car-t-therapies-safer-and-more-effective-17405?utm_campaign=DDN_Newsletter_Dose&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9YU5unYeLBgxEsUPlpiNpXsaYjiaJnbg65mdyQWwhUrct0zRIai-4g_WhQIJida0b-qzqMqz007lzQ2pNw8yxhcJl9ug&_hsmi=437396178&utm_content=437396178&utm_source=hs_email Since the first CAR T therapy won approval in 2017, these engineered immune cells have transformed treatment for several blood cancers. However, despite promising responses in many patients, CAR T remains unpredictable. Some patients experience severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or neurotoxicity, while others tolerate treatment well. Likewise, the extent to which CAR T cells expand after infusion, a key driver of therapeutic success, varies widely between individuals. A new design framework for mRNA vaccines could improve efficacy and safety New findings suggest that the location of mRNA expression in the body plays a critical role in shaping T cell responses, opening the door to more precise and effective mRNA-based treatments. Written byBree Foster, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/a-new-design-framework-for-mrna-vaccines-could-improve-efficacy-and-safety-17156?utm_campaign=DDN_Newsletter_Dose&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_47JLaZ0V8Sn7Gp2MlR-ezWU39k7K1NbH0Xa4r1Ix__AtIywMUjbft9HAPeTQl_x8-PK02jJ45tIvARuNCsY6dEXSRHg&_hsmi=437396178&utm_content=437396178&utm_source=hs_email A new study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai challenges a central assumption in mRNA vaccine biology, showing that immune cells are not the only — or even the primary — determinant of vaccine effectiveness. Instead, non-immune cells such as muscle and liver cells play a previously underappreciated role in shaping immune responses, with major implications for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.