In a strategic move to capture opportunities in CAR-T cell therapy applications, Abnova announced on November 7 the launch of its nanoCAR-T mRNA service. This service combines Abnova’s NanoAb™ nanobody technology platform with mRNA IVT vector design and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery, leveraging extensive expertise in nanobody recombination design to achieve innovative, highly efficient nanobody applications in the field of cell therapy.
Nanobodies are only one-tenth the size of traditional antibodies, providing superior tissue penetration that enables them to reach areas and recognize antigen epitopes that traditional antibodies cannot easily access, such as brain tissue and tumor microenvironments. This makes nanobodies particularly promising in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibody drugs (BiTEs), and nanoCAR-T applications.
Abnova noted that traditional CAR-T antigen recognition domains typically use single-chain variable fragments (scFv). However, due to the VH-VL structure of scFvs, mismatches between VH and VL domains, or VH-VH pairing, may lead to antigen-binding aggregation, which can trigger T-cell exhaustion. Nanobodies, in contrast, consist of only one VHH domain without a VL, which reduces this risk. By replacing scFvs with nanobodies in CAR-T antigen recognition domains, Abnova has developed a smaller recognition domain that enhances CAR-T affinity, specificity, stability, and cost-efficiency. Additionally, nanobodies allow for the construction of multi-target recombinant nanobodies, enabling multifunctional CAR-T cell designs that can improve therapeutic efficacy.
Furthermore, by optimizing mRNA sequence combinations and delivery vectors, Abnova has increased stability and translation efficiency, which boosts CAR-T expression levels and duration, while enhancing T-cell cytotoxicity and delivering effective cytolytic activity in vitro.
Abnova explained that traditional lentiviral vector-based Ex vivo CAR-T therapy relies on lentiviral vectors to transduce immune cells from patients outside the body. This complex process, from plasmid design and lentiviral vector production to quantification, is costly and time-consuming and carries the risk of chromosomal integration into the patient’s cells. Abnova’s use of LNP technology replaces lentiviral vectors, reducing chromosomal integration risks and laying the groundwork for in vivo CAR-T therapies, eliminating the need for ex vivo culturing and reinfusion of the patient's immune cells.
According to Abnova, the nanoCAR-T mRNA service can be applied to hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and autoimmune diseases, breaking through limitations in treating indications that Ex vivo CAR-T has struggled to address. This service is expected to accelerate advancements in cancer and autoimmune disease treatment.
Resource (mandarin): 亞諾法推nanoCAR-T mRNA服務 搶進CAR-T細胞治療應用
