Around the Helix: Cell and Gene Therapy Company Updates – July 9, 2025

Revolutionary Cell and Gene Therapies Bring New Hope for Prostate Cancer Patients

IPCSG Patient Support Newsletter - July 2025

The landscape of prostate cancer treatment is experiencing a revolutionary transformation as cutting-edge cell and gene therapies move from experimental concepts to clinical reality. Recent breakthrough developments in CAR-T cell therapy, PSMA-targeted treatments, and innovative immunotherapies are offering new hope for patients with advanced and treatment-resistant prostate cancer.

CAR-T Cell Therapy Shows Promise in "Immune Desert" of Prostate Cancer

One of the most significant developments comes from City of Hope, where researchers have achieved encouraging results with CAR-T cell therapy specifically designed for prostate cancer. In a landmark phase 1 clinical trial published in Nature Medicine, investigators treated 14 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) using CAR-T cells engineered to target prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA).

Key Results:

  • 4 out of 14 patients (29%) experienced significant declines in PSA levels, including one patient with a greater than 90% reduction
  • Imaging showed therapeutic responses in multiple patients
  • Side effects were manageable, with the most common being mild to moderate cytokine release syndrome
  • The therapy demonstrated the ability to overcome prostate cancer's traditionally "immune-cold" environment

"Prostate cancer has been called an immune desert — the tumor microenvironment is difficult to treat with immunotherapies because you don't get a lot of T cells inside the tumor," explained Dr. Tanya Dorff, chief of the genitourinary disease program at City of Hope. "It takes something really powerful to overcome that. Our study showed that City of Hope's CAR-T cell therapy for prostate cancer could be a step closer to doing that."

Next-Generation CAR-T Approaches on the Horizon

Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center are advancing the field further with STEAP1-targeted CAR-T cells. This approach targets a protein that is more uniformly expressed across prostate tumor cells compared to other antigens, potentially improving treatment effectiveness. The team's preclinical work, published in Nature Communications, shows that combining anti-STEAP1 CAR-T cells with immune-boosting molecules can more effectively reduce prostate tumor growth and prevent immune escape.

Additionally, scientists at the University of Colorado have developed "supercharged" CAR-T cells called ALA-CART (adjunctive LAT-activating CAR-T cells), which enhance the effectiveness and longevity of the treatment, particularly against cancer cells that have been difficult for traditional CAR-T therapies to detect and eliminate.

PSMA-Targeted Therapies Expand Treatment Options

The FDA's recent expansion of approval for PSMA-targeted treatments represents another major advancement. In March 2025, the agency broadened the use of 177Lu-PSMA-617 (Pluvicto) to include patients who haven't yet received chemotherapy, significantly expanding the population eligible for this precision therapy.

Recent PSMA Developments:

  • PSMA-PET imaging now standard for detecting metastatic disease
  • New radioligand therapies showing promise, including 177-Lutetium PNT2002
  • Bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) targeting PSMA entering clinical trials
  • Combination approaches with PARP inhibitors showing enhanced effectiveness

Innovative T-Cell Engager Therapies

A new class of immunotherapy called T-cell engagers or bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) is showing remarkable promise. These drugs simultaneously bind to a tumor-associated antigen on cancer cells and CD3 on T-cells, effectively forcing immune cells to attack cancer.

Notable Clinical Results:

  • Xaluritamig (AMG 509): STEAP1-targeted therapy showed PSA reduction in 49% of patients in phase 1 trials
  • Pasiritamig: KLK2-targeted therapy demonstrates improved tolerability with manageable side effects
  • REGN5678: First-in-class drug targeting PSMA currently in clinical trials at MD Anderson

"These drugs bind one part of themselves to a tumor cell and the other part to a T cell. Forcing the two cells together has yielded some remarkable results," noted Dr. Bilal Siddiqui from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Gene Therapy Advances

Beyond cell therapies, gene therapy approaches are also advancing:

  • CRISPR-Cas9 technology is being explored to create enhanced CAR-T cells with improved persistence and function
  • Suicide gene therapy approaches using viral vectors to deliver genes that make cancer cells vulnerable to specific drugs
  • Precision medicine approaches using genetic profiling to guide treatment decisions, as demonstrated in UC Davis trials using niraparib for patients with specific DNA repair gene mutations

Combination Strategies and Future Directions

The future of prostate cancer treatment increasingly involves sophisticated combination approaches:

  • CAR-T cells combined with radiation therapy to enhance anti-tumor activity
  • PSMA-targeted therapy with PARP inhibitors for patients with DNA repair mutations
  • Immunotherapy combinations targeting multiple pathways simultaneously
  • Personalized treatment selection based on genetic testing and biomarker analysis

Clinical Trial Opportunities

Multiple clinical trials are currently enrolling patients across various stages of prostate cancer:

  • Early-stage high-risk patients: Trials testing gene therapy and immunotherapy to prevent recurrence
  • Advanced disease: Studies combining novel cell therapies with existing treatments
  • Treatment-resistant cancer: Trials of next-generation CAR-T cells and T-cell engagers

Patient Implications and Access

These advances represent a paradigm shift in prostate cancer care, offering hope for patients who have exhausted traditional treatment options. However, challenges remain:

  • Cost and accessibility: Advanced therapies remain expensive and may not be available at all treatment centers
  • Patient selection: Genetic testing and biomarker analysis becoming crucial for optimal treatment matching
  • Side effect management: Specialized monitoring required for immune-related adverse events

Looking Ahead

As we move into 2025 and beyond, the convergence of cell therapy, gene therapy, and precision medicine is creating unprecedented opportunities for prostate cancer patients. The rapid pace of development suggests that the treatment landscape will continue to evolve dramatically in the coming years.

"I have never been more optimistic about what lies ahead for people with prostate cancer," emphasized Dr. Alicia Morgans in the recent ZERO Prostate Cancer newsletter. "Therapeutic developments are coming fast and furious, and the options for patients will continue to expand."

For IPCSG members interested in exploring these cutting-edge treatments, discussing clinical trial opportunities with oncologists and seeking second opinions at comprehensive cancer centers can provide access to the latest therapeutic advances.

Referenced Sources

  1. City of Hope. "CAR T Cell Therapy for Prostate Cancer Shows Efficacy." November 20, 2024. https://www.cityofhope.org/study-car-t-for-prostate-cancer-shows-efficacy
  2. Priceman, S., et al. "PSCA-CAR T cell therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a phase 1 trial." Nature Medicine, 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02979-8
  3. OncLive. "City of Hope CAR T-Cell Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer Demonstrates Positive Results in Phase 1 Clinical Trial." July 15, 2024. https://www.onclive.com/view/city-of-hope-car-t-cell-therapy-for-advanced-prostate-cancer-demonstrates-positive-results-in-phase-1-clinical-tria
  4. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. "Improving immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer." April 27, 2023. https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2023/04/lee-steap1-car-t-therapy.html
  5. ScienceDaily. "New CAR-T cell therapy shows promise for hard-to-treat cancers." March 10, 2025. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250310131629.htm
  6. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "FDA Expands New Treatment for Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Targets a Protein Called PSMA." March 7, 2022. https://www.mskcc.org/news/fda-approves-promising-therapy-advanced-prostate
  7. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. "CAR-T cell therapy: a potential new strategy against prostate cancer." https://jitc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40425-019-0741-7
  8. Harvard Health Blog. "CAR-T immunotherapy for prostate cancer?" September 16, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/car-t-immunotherapy-for-prostate-cancer-202409163070
  9. MD Anderson Cancer Center. "What's new in immunotherapy for prostate cancer?" May 10, 2024. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-s-new-in-immunotherapy-for-prostate-cancer-treatment.h00-159697545.html
  10. UroToday. "Interdisciplinary GU Cancer Forum 2025: Advances in Immunotherapy." https://www.urotoday.com/conference-highlights/interdisciplinary-genitourinary-cancer-forum-2025/161411-interdisciplinary-gu-cancer-forum-2025-meeting-advances-in-immunotherapy.html
  11. ZERO Prostate Cancer. "2025/2024 Advanced Prostate Cancer Newsletter." https://zerocancer.org/newsletters/advanced-prostate-cancer/2024-2025
  12. UC Davis Health. "Biomarkers hold clue in treating aggressive prostate cancer." May 29, 2025. https://health.ucdavis.edu/cancer/news/headlines/biomarkers-hold-clue-in-treating-aggressive-prostate-cancer/2025/05
  13. National Cancer Institute. "Advances in Prostate Cancer Research." https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/research
  14. Nature Reviews Urology. "Considering the potential for gene-based therapy in prostate cancer." https://www.nature.com/articles/s41585-021-00431-x
  15. Journal of Translational and Genomic Genome. "Review on gene and cell therapies in prostate cancer treatment: prospects and challenges." https://www.oaepublish.com/articles/jtgg.2024.74
  16. Biology Insights. "PSMAfore: Advances in Targeted Prostate Cancer Therapy." April 29, 2025. https://biologyinsights.com/psmafore-advances-in-targeted-prostate-cancer-therapy/
  17. MDPI - Cancers. "T-Cell Engager Therapy in Prostate Cancer: Molecular Insights into a New Frontier in Immunotherapy." May 29, 2025. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/11/1820
  18. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases. "Advances in PSMA-targeted therapy for prostate cancer." https://www.nature.com/articles/s41391-021-00394-5

The International Prostate Cancer Support Group (IPCSG) Newsletter is published to inform our members about the latest developments in prostate cancer research and treatment. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace consultation with qualified healthcare providers.

Around the Helix: Cell and Gene Therapy Company Updates – July 9, 2025

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