The Hirshberg Foundation is committed to advancing the most innovative science with the potential to change outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients. UCLA is home to many of the nation’s leading investigators tackling this disease from every angle, and we are proud to support the research ecosystem that enables discoveries like this one.
UCLA scientists have developed a next-generation immunotherapy that has shown remarkable effectiveness in multiple preclinical models of pancreatic cancer. This approach, called CAR-NKT cell therapy, demonstrated the ability to eliminate tumors in the pancreas as well as in metastatic sites, in contrast to existing cell therapies that have struggled against pancreatic cancer’s complex biology.
Unlike current personalized cell therapies, which require weeks to manufacture and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, this new platform can be mass-produced from donated stem cells and stored ready-to-use. At an estimated $5,000 per dose, this model represents a potential shift in both accessibility and speed, two critical barriers for pancreatic cancer patients who often cannot afford to wait.
CAR-NKT cells also overcome many of the defenses that make pancreatic tumors so difficult to treat. By using a unique immune cell type called invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells and equipping them with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting mesothelin, these engineered cells attack tumors through several mechanisms at once. In preclinical testing, they were able to reach tumors in the pancreas and those metastasized to challenging sites such as the liver and lungs, seeking out cancer cells wherever they spread.
The UCLA team tested this therapy in advanced models that mimic the harsh biological environment of pancreatic cancer more accurately than standard laboratory approaches. Across these rigorous tests, the CAR-NKT cells demonstrated the ability to track and infiltrate tumors in multiple organs, maintain strong and sustained cancer-killing activity, and resist exhaustion that often limits other cell therapies; together, these results show that the therapy consistently slowed tumor growth and extended survival in challenging preclinical models.
This novel immunotherapy targets mesothelin, a protein found in several cancers, offering an even broader potential for cancer treatment beyond the pancreas. This same “universal” cell product could potentially be used to treat breast, ovarian and lung cancers as well. Early preclinical research at UCLA has already shown promise in these additional indications.
“Many treatments that looked promising in simpler lab models have completely failed in patients,” said study collaborator Dr. Caius Radu, a UCLA professor of molecular and medical pharmacology in the original article from UCLA. Dr. Radu was celebrated as our 2024 LA Cancer Challenge Honorary Medical Co-Chair for his work on adenosine and immunotherapy. “The fact that this therapy worked in both [orthotopic and metastatic] settings is genuinely encouraging.”
“This is an important first step for a relatively novel immunotherapy approach that is being tested in clinical trials for a variety of cancers. It is great to see such high-quality work coming out of UCLA. While it will take some time to develop, this could be a promising therapy,” said Dr. Miklos Sahin-Toth, Chair of the Hirshberg Scientific Advisory Board.
With preclinical studies now complete, UCLA investigators are preparing to submit applications to the FDA to launch first-in-human trials. This represents a crucial milestone and an opportunity to bring new hope to patients who urgently need better options.
Pioneering research like this does not happen in isolation. It grows from a scientific community fueled by collaboration, mentorship, and sustained investment in early-stage ideas. Through our support of UCLA’s pancreatic cancer research programs and our long-standing Seed Grant initiative, the Hirshberg Foundation helps cultivate the environment in which discoveries like CAR-NKT cell therapy can take shape.
Together with our research partners at UCLA, we remain steadfast in our mission to accelerate breakthroughs that can save lives. By working together, we can advance toward a future where early detection, innovative treatments and proactive prevention truly transform outcomes for those facing pancreatic cancer.
