Deyaa Adib, MD, on Using T-Cell Antigen Coupler Technology to Target Solid Tumors

“If [the target-recognizing domain of the TAC platform] does not recognize a target on the cancer cell surface, it will not induce a reaction and accordingly, we do not see the tonic signaling that is associated with CARs; this is a completely different construct. So, if the target is there, there will be an activation process to the T-cell immunologic response; if the target is not there, there will not be an activation.”

While CAR T-cell therapies have shown great success in treating various cancers, their potential toxicity to normal cells and infiltration of healthy tissues has remained an area for improvement.

Deyaa Adib, MD, chief medical officer, Triumvira Immunologics, spoke with CGTLive about the company's newly developed T-cell Antigen Coupler (TAC) platform and its potential use in the treatment of solid tumors, which has remained a challenge for the field of cell therapy.

A diagram of the TAC platform referenced by Adib during the interview.

Adib discussed the TAC platform’s 3 domains, which include a modular target-recognizing domain that can be reconstructed to target a particular protein of interest. Adib discussed a HER2-targeted TAC therapy, as well as other targets, including GUCY2C and GPC3, that the company is evaluating.

The TAC platform also has a CD3-binding domain, which Adib explained is essential in activating natural T-cells to start an immunological response. He pointed out that if the target-recognizing component does not recognize its target, the immunological response will not be activated by the CD3-binding component. Thus, the TAC platform is able to avoid the tonic signaling response typically associated with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR), which can lead to toxicities and infiltration of healthy tissues. Adib additionally discussed the CD4 Co-receptor domain of the TAC platform, which is also important in the immunological activation process.