A2: targeting lost genetic material to distinguish tumors from normal cells

A2 is engineering T cell therapies that selectively attack solid tumor cells by exploiting the loss of genetic material in tumors. 

The T cell module (Tmod) consists of an engineered T cell with an “activator” receptor that recognizes an epitope on the surface of normal cells that is also retained on the tumor. A “blocker” receptor recognizes a second surface antigen on an allelic product present in healthy cells but lost from the tumor cells. If the blocker signal is absent, the cell is killed...