Cartherics -Off-the-Shelf Involves Induced Pluripotential Stem Cell (iPSC)
This technology involves induced pluripotential stem cell (iPSC) derived NK cells (and, potentially, other types of immune cells). iPSCs have unlimited capacity for self-renewal.
Cartherics has developed proprietary technology for inducing iNK cells from iPSCs. These are very potent cytotoxic cells, able to kill a variety of cancer cell types.
Cartherics has further improved their function by genetically engineering the iPSCs so that the iNK cells express a cancer specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and are resistant to certain mechanisms that reduce immune function.
The company is currently developing large-scale manufacture of these CAR-iNK cells for application in human trials and is expanding its pipeline to include iT cells and iMacrophages.