DESCARTHeS Project

Adoptive cell therapy with T lymphocytes genetically modified for the expression of chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-T) is one of the most promising advanced therapies for the treatment of cancer.

However, despite the great expectation that CAR-T cells are generating for the treatment of some hematological malignancies, so far, only two of these products have received approval for use in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Moreover, the efficacy of CAR-T in solid tumors, where the tumor microenvironment and tissue characteristics hinder the action of the immune system, is still highly unsatisfactory.

The DESCARTHeS project aims to develop key technological platforms for the present and future development of CAR-T cell-based anti-tumor therapies in Navarra. The development of specific CAR-T cell therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or for patients with prostate cancer will be the main objective of this project. But at the same time, the development of this global project aims to establish a facilitating platform for the future development of new CAR-Ts for other hematological malignancies and gastrointestinal cancers.

This research is funded by the Government of Navarra for strategic R&D projects and involves two research organizations (FIMA/CIMA and FMS/Navarrabiomed), a biotechnology company from Navarra (Recombina Biotech) and two hospitals (the Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra and the Clínica Universidad de Navarra).