Challenges and solutions for therapeutic TCR-based agents.

Publication Type Review
Authors Malviya M, Aretz Z, Molvi Z, Lee J, Pierre S, Wallisch P, Dao T, Scheinberg D
Journal Immunol Rev
Volume 320
Issue 1
Pagination 58-82
Date Published 07/16/2023
ISSN 1600-065X
Keywords Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, Neoplasms
Abstract Recent development of methods to discover and engineer therapeutic T-cell receptors (TCRs) or antibody mimics of TCRs, and to understand their immunology and pharmacology, lag two decades behind therapeutic antibodies. Yet we have every expectation that TCR-based agents will be similarly important contributors to the treatment of a variety of medical conditions, especially cancers. TCR engineered cells, soluble TCRs and their derivatives, TCR-mimic antibodies, and TCR-based CAR T cells promise the possibility of highly specific drugs that can expand the scope of immunologic agents to recognize intracellular targets, including mutated proteins and undruggable transcription factors, not accessible by traditional antibodies. Hurdles exist regarding discovery, specificity, pharmacokinetics, and best modality of use that will need to be overcome before the full potential of TCR-based agents is achieved. HLA restriction may limit each agent to patient subpopulations and off-target reactivities remain important barriers to widespread development and use of these new agents. In this review we discuss the unique opportunities for these new classes of drugs, describe their unique antigenic targets, compare them to traditional antibody therapeutics and CAR T cells, and review the various obstacles that must be overcome before full application of these drugs can be realized.
DOI 10.1111/imr.13233
PubMed ID 37455333
PubMed Central ID PMC11141734
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