How modified T-cell cancer therapy works
Blood drawn
1. Blood is drawn from the patient and T-cells are separated out
T-cells normally
kill pathogen-
infected cells
2. The T-cells are engineered to produce surface receptors called CARs
Engineered
T-cell with
receptors
3. These receptors allow T-cells to attach to a specific protein on tumour cells
Cancerous
cell
4. The CAR
T-cells are multiplied in the lab
Hundreds
of millions
produced
5. Transfused into the patient, CAR
T-cells recognise and kill cancer cells
Modified
T-cell infusion
Blood drawn
1. Blood is drawn from the patient and T-cells are separated out
T-cells normally
kill pathogen-
infected cells
2. The T-cells are engineered to produce surface receptors called CARs
Engineered T-cell
with receptors
3. These receptors allow T-cells to attach to a specific protein on tumour cells
Cancerous
cell
Hundreds of
millions produced
4. The CAR T-cells are multiplied in the lab
5. Transfused into the patient, CAR T-cells recognise and kill cancer cells
Modified
T-cell infusion
1. Blood is drawn from the patient and T-cells are separated out
2. The T-cells are engineered to produce surface receptors called CARs
3. These receptors allow T-cells to attach to a specific protein on tumour cells
Blood
drawn
T-cells normally
kill pathogen-
infected cells
Engineered T-cell
with receptors
Cancerous
cell
Modified
T-cell infusion
Hundreds
of millions
produced
5. Transfused into the patient, CAR T-cells recognise and kill cancer cells
4. The CAR T-cells are multiplied in the lab