Cell Design Labs Announces Issuance of Broad Patent for Programmable Car-T Cells

Cell Design Labs, Inc. recently announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 9,587,020, titled Chimeric Antigen Receptor and Methods of Use Thereof. This patent, issued to UC San Francisco (UCSF) and exclusively licensed to Cell Design Labs, broadly covers composition of matter and methods of use for the company’s proprietary THROTTLE Switch technology in chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells).

“This overarching patent provides comprehensive coverage for our proprietary switch, a method of engineering a dynamic CAR-T cell for increased safety and control by incorporating activation by an “off-the-shelf” FDA-approved molecule,” said Brian Atwood, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Cell Design Labs. “Currently, we are working with Kite Pharma to add our THROTTLE Switch technology to their therapeutic CAR-T cells designed to treat acute myeloid leukemia, and we are applying the technology to our internal pipeline of candidates as well.”

THROTTLE Switch technology adds enhanced safety to next-generation CAR-T constructs. Cell Design Labs engineers two separate and inactive receptor components into the cell membrane of a CAR-T cell. Only in the presence of an FDA-approved small molecule compound do the two components come together (dimerize) into an active state, seeking out and eliminating cancer cells. By incorporating this type of controllable switch into CAR-T cells, physicians will have the potential to rapidly and precisely control the activity and safety of CAR-T cells.

“We are pleased that Cell Design Labs continues to advance this innovative technology in a way that could make a significant difference in the lives of patients with cancer and other serious diseases,” commented Todd Pazdera, PhD, Assistant Director of UCSF’s Office of Technology Management. “We expect additional patent issuances in other geographies with similar coverage in the near future, all of which are licensed exclusively to Cell Design Labs.”

Cell Design Labs is a biotherapeutics company pioneering breakthrough science to develop disruptive cell-based therapies. Based on innovative research from Dr. Wendell Lim’s lab at UC San Francisco, Cell Design Labs leverages the power of the body’s immune system to develop smart, living therapies with the capability to treat our most challenging diseases with unprecedented power, precision, safety, and durability. Using its proprietary technology platform for custom cell engineering, Cell Design Labs will develop its own portfolio of anticancer therapies as well as create partnerships with leading oncology companies. Initially focused on cancer, including both hematologic and solid tumors, this broad technology may also have applications in other complex diseases such as autoimmune and degenerative disorders. For more information, visit www.celldesignlabs.com.