New CAR-T Cell Therapy Technique Shows Promise Against Solid Tumors
Researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering have developed a new technique, called SHIFTERS, to enhance CAR-T cell therapy's effectiveness against solid tumors. CAR-T cell therapy, a significant advancement in cancer treatment, has primarily been successful against blood cancers. The challenge with solid tumors has been the lack of a consistent, clear target for CAR-T cells. The SHIFTERS approach addresses this by using focused ultrasound in conjunction with a tumor's low oxygen levels to induce tumor cells to temporarily display the CD19 marker, which CAR-T cells recognize. This two-tiered attack ensures that the marker is only displayed where both signals (low oxygen and focused ultrasound) meet, directing CAR-T cells precisely to the tumor. Initial testing on lab-grown cancer cells, tumor models, and animals demonstrated that this method significantly strengthened CAR-T cell attacks, leading to dramatic tumor shrinkage. Notably, only 10 to 25 percent of tumor cells needed to display the tempora... 
