# Design of a Novel Nanocarrier Technology to Drug-Load CAR T cells

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $545,643

## Abstract

Project summary:
Current treatment for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), the most common malignant brain tumor in adults,
involves maximal safe resection, followed by adjuvant chemoradiation. Although this treatment is life prolonging,
it is never curative. Five year survival is less than 7 %1 and improved therapies are urgently needed. In this
proposal, we aim to develop a new targeted therapy with reduced toxicity and increased efficacy for GBM patients
by leveraging nanotechnology discoveries in our laboratory to improve adoptive cell therapy. Chimeric Antigen
Receptor (CAR) T cells combine the cytolytic potency of a T cell with the tumor specificity of an antibody. Recent
clinical trial experiences of CAR T cells in solid tumors have identified the immune-suppressive tumor
microenvironment (TME) as a major barrier to clinical success2-4. One immune-suppressive endogenous
negative regulator in GBM TME is TGFβ, which has been identified as barrier to CAR T tumor eradication. Small
molecule inhibitors of the TGFβ receptor as well as TGFβ resistant CAR T cells have been developed and tested
clinically, however they are limited due to systemic toxicity. Herein we propose developing a platform technology
to drug-load CAR T cells with nanocarriers, thus enhancing the therapeutic window of CAR T cells, and
addressing one of the major obstacles to CAR T cells in brain tumors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10877055
- **Project number:** 5R01CA284065-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** David Akhavan
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $545,643
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10877055

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10877055, Design of a Novel Nanocarrier Technology to Drug-Load CAR T cells (5R01CA284065-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10877055. Licensed CC0.

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