UCLA researchers have announced the development of a new immunotherapy that could change how triple-negative breast cancer is treated. The findings were published in the Journal of Hematology & Oncology.
Triple-negative breast cancer is considered one of the most aggressive forms because it lacks three key targets used in many current therapies, making it harder to treat. The new therapy, known as CAR-NKT cell therapy, uses engineered immune cells to attack tumors through several mechanisms.
“Patients with triple-negative breast cancer have been waiting far too long for better treatment options,” said Lili Yang, senior author and professor at UCLA’s Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. “To finally have a therapy that shows superior cancer-fighting ability — and to be just one step away from clinical testing — is incredibly exciting.”
The therapy involves using invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells equipped with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting mesothelin, a protein present on triple-negative breast cancer cells. These CAR-NKT cells can be produced in large quantities from donated blood stem cells and stored for immediate use, which could lower costs compared to current personalized cell therapies.
According to Yanruide (Charlie) Li, first author and postdoctoral scholar at UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center Training Program: “We’re not just targeting one molecular marker on cancer cells — we’re identifying dozens of them simultaneously. It’s like attacking a fortress from every direction at once. The cancer simply can’t adapt fast enough to escape.”
In laboratory tests using samples from patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer, the CAR-NKT cells eliminated both tumor cells and their supporting immunosuppressive cells.
The approach aims to overcome manufacturing complexity and high costs associated with existing cellular immunotherapies by allowing mass production of NKT cells from donors rather than customizing treatments for each patient individually. Researchers estimate this could reduce costs per dose significantly.
Beyond triple-negative breast cancer, the therapy may also be effective against ovarian, pancreatic, and lung cancers due to the presence of mesothelin in those tumors. “This is really a platform technology,” said Yang.
With preclinical studies complete for both triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer, UCLA scientists are preparing applications for FDA approval to begin clinical trials. “We’ve walked 99 steps to get here,” Yang said. “We’re missing just one final step to begin clinical testing and demonstrate what this promising therapy can really do for patients.”
The research was funded by organizations including the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Defense, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center, Wendy Ablon Trust, various UCLA departments and offices including microbiology and immunology as well as the Chancellor’s office.
