A joint team from Seoul National University Hospital and Stanford University has developed a gene-edited, donor-derived CAR-T platform that overcomes a major barrier in T-cell lymphoma -- cells attacking each other during manufacturing -- potentially opening the door to off-the-shelf treatment.
The team, led by Professors Koh Young-il and Kang Hyoung-jin, said the approach could expand treatment options for refractory T-cell lymphoma, a disease with significant unmet need, particularly in Asia where prevalence is higher and outcomes lag behind B-cell lymphoma.
The findings were presented Monday at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026.
Seoul National University researchers presented findings on allogeneic CAR-T development at the AACR 2026 meeting. (Courtesy of SNUH)
CAR-T therapies for B-cell lymphoma are commercially successful and widely used. Applying the approach to T-cell lymphoma has been difficult because engineered T cells can attack one another during production -- a problem known as “fratricide.”
Further complicating development, autologous approaches rely on patients’ own T cells. In T-cell lymphoma, malignant and normal T cells coexist in the bloodstream, making it difficult to isolate suitable cells for therapy.
To address these challenges, SNUH launched an 18-month collaboration with Stanford’s Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, led by Professor Matthew Porteus, and Korean biotech Curocell.
Under the collaboration, SNUH led platform design, Stanford contributed gene-editing and manufacturing expertise, and Curocell supplied the CD5 binder and conducted functional validation.
The team used CRISPR gene editing to remove CD5 and the T-cell receptor from donor T cells, creating an allogeneic CAR-T product designed to prevent fratricide and reduce risks such as graft-versus-host disease.
They also replaced lentiviral vectors with alternative delivery systems, including adeno-associated virus (AAV) and nanoplasmids, to improve safety and manufacturing precision. Incorporating Curocell’s CD5 binder further optimized tumor targeting, enabling engineered CAR-T cells to selectively eliminate malignant T cells.
The study showed the engineered cells eradicated T-cell lymphoma without fratricide, establishing a foundation for next-generation therapies.
According to the researchers, this marks the first successful development of a CD5-knockout allogeneic CAR-T platform. The approach could enable “off-the-shelf” treatments manufactured in advance from healthy donor cells, avoiding delays associated with patient-specific production.
The platform may be extended to other T-cell malignancies, including leukemia.
Building on these results, SNUH and Stanford plan to produce clinical-grade CAR-T cells in GMP facilities this year and initiate human trials. The partners are also preparing joint Korea–U.S. studies for next-generation cell therapies.
Professor Koh, head of SNUH’s Advanced Bio Center, said, “This study provides a starting point for overcoming autologous CAR-T limitations in T-cell lymphoma with an allogeneic approach. We will accelerate development and joint clinical trials to translate this innovation into real treatments.”
Lee Han-soo
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