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Improving genetically engineered T cells for medulloblastomas

Award Number: R01NS121249
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/15/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2026

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Improving genetically engineered T cells for medulloblastomas - Title: Improving genetically engineered T cells for medulloblastoma PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The intent of this project is to develop antigen-specific T cells as an effective immunotherapy for medulloblastoma (MB), a most common pediatric brain tumor. While recent advances in MB treatment slightly improved the overall survival, the patients are left with long-term devastating side effects as a result of a treatment. The body’s natural immune defenses against cancer often fail because the cancer either does not provoke or actively inhibits immune responses. However, genetic modification of the patient’s own immune system can be used to endow T cells with improved ability to recognize and kill cancerous cells that would not otherwise respond to conventional therapies. Cancer treatments consisting of the infusion of T cells that are engineered to recognize tumor antigens, molecules present only on cancers cells, have shown dramatic success in clinical studies against leukemia. We now propose to develop such approach for MB. In our method, we will target two antigens called IL13Ra2 and B7-H3 which are present on MB cells. Next, we will improve our approach by deleting epigenetic regulators that are known to suppress T cell effector function. Finally, we will use an immunocompetent MB mouse model to ask which immune cells within brain tumor microenvironment (TME) control CAR T cell efficacy. Brain tumors are notorious for having an immunosuppressive TME, yet its effect on engineered immune cells are poorly understood. Thus, the use of mouse models with functional immune system will allow us to accurately evaluate the function and safety of engineered T cells as well as understand the brain TME. In summary, we propose to first establish CAR T cells targeting two antigens in order to improve their specificity (Aim 1). We will then improve their persistence through ablation of epigenetic programs (Aim 2). We will also perform a detailed mechanistic study to determine how epigenetic regulators control effector function of engineered CAR T cells. Finally, we will investigate if elimination of key inhibitory immune cells within the brain TME will enhance anti- tumor effects of CAR T cells (Aim 3). We expect that our proposed studies using gene engineered bi-specific CAR T cells and immunocompetent mouse model will provide mechanistic insight and superior understanding on how engineered T cells function and interact with the brain TME. We believe that such knowledge will lead not only to the creation of improved immune cell-based approaches but also to potential novel therapeutic approaches for brain tumors in the future. If our pre-clinical approach is successful, we have the resources to develop a Phase I clinical trial at our institution.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $400,298 )
2025	2025	ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	3/11/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$400,298
														Subtotal = $400,298

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $431,432 )
2024	2024	ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	4	2/14/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$400,298
2024	2024	ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	4	4/10/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$31,134
														Subtotal = $431,432

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $444,775 )
2023	2023	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	2/23/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$444,775
														Subtotal = $444,775

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $444,775 )
2022	2022	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	3/1/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$400,297
2022	2022	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	2	4/20/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$44,478
														Subtotal = $444,775

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $444,775 )
2021	2021	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	4/9/2021	NEW	$444,775
														Subtotal = $444,775

Grand Total All Awards = $2,166,055

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Improving genetically engineered T cells for medulloblastomas

Award Number: R01NS121249

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/15/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2026

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