In recent years, the "chimeric antigen receptors" (CAR), from interesting scientific concept have become one of the most promising cancer therapies. Although the technology underlying the current CAR appears complex, the idea is relatively simple. The approach is to use the patient's immune system against cancer cells specifically addressing it.A CAR is a synthetic receptor derived from an antibody, designed to recognize a specific antigen on the surface of tumor cells. The approach involves the genetic modification of T-cells so that they express the CAR on the cell membrane. The resulting CAR-T cells recognize the tumor antigen through the CAR that will send an intracellular signal causing the destruction of the cancer cell.Treatment with CAR-T cells represents today an innovative therapeutic strategy clinically tested for safety and efficacy.The extraordinary success of the treatment of hematologic cancer patients with lymphocytes expressing the CAR CD19, has attracted unprecedented interest from biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. However, most of the clinical studies conducted to date have used CAR specific for CD19 antigen, limiting its use in patients with hematologic B cell malignancies.Through a partnership dating back to 2001, MolMed exercised a purchase option for the CAR-CD44v6 project, with the aim of continuing preclinical, clinical and commercial development. The project was originally developed by researchers in Experimental Hematology Unit of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan,The CAR-CD44v6 is a 2nd generation CAR using the intracellular signaling domains of CD28 and CD3 ζ chains. Furthermore, the CAR-CD44v6 presents a peculiar spacer linking the outside to the inside part of the protein: a delete form of the human low affinity nerve growth factor receptor (ΔLNGFR). This structure that is object of a filled patent, allows the selection of cells to be infused in patients and their monitoring through the use of specific antibodies.

The CAR-CD44v6 is specific for the CD44v6 antigen, which is expressed by hematologic tumours (e.g. leukemias and multiple myeloma) and also by several solid tumors of different histotype, including breast, lung and colon carcinomas.

