Democratisation of cell and gene therapies using NanoCAR technology

The immune system contains many different cells with different properties, and recently, technologies have been developed that empower immune cells against specific diseases. An example where immune cells are modified to make them effectively kill cancer cells is CAR-T therapy. These therapies hold the promise of selectively destroying cancer cells by finding these cells throughout the body (unlike surgery/radiotherapy) and have been successful against previously incurable blood cancers.

However, these life-changing treatments are **prohibitively expensive** to the NHS (~250 patients per year allowed within the NHS cancer budget, and 5000 UK patients diagnosed annually) because of their current external manufacturing process. The production can take 60 days, requiring expert labour, and expensive facilities/materials. **Costs exceed £280,000/dose, and only available at specialist centres.**

It is clear that these therapies **cannot become mainstream medicines in current form**. This delays their transformative potential in many common diseases which could benefit millions.

ImmTune has developed a **nanoparticle-based technology** (similar to the one used in Pfizer's COVID vaccine) for the purpose of making these therapies **inside patients**. Our product will be a simple injection allowing rapid dosing to all the patients in need in a way that's faster, affordable and more effective. **Our technology would democratise these powerful therapies, and remove barriers of inequality in accessing these treatments**.

We have demonstrated the potential of our technology for a subset of immune cells, T cells by creating CAR-T cells using our technology, and are now expanding the reach of our platform to a wider set of patients by testing it in a different immune cell subtype; natural killer (NK) cells. These cells have shown to be more potent at addressing more blood cancer, and solid tumour conditions. A successful project outcome would lead to us catering to a wider patient population.

Dr Bakul Gupta is one of the **founders/CEO** and has years of experience in working with such nanoparticle-based technologies. Her knowledge and domain e**xpertise has laid the foundation** for the technology being built by the company. She is a **young first-time scientist turned entrepreneur who aspires to create affordable therapies for all patients using her skill set and the most cutting-edge scientific developments, and also be a trailblazer for women founders in the biotech sphere.** She has been leading the company for 3-years, and wants to continue doing this effectively by tapping into different expertise via IUK and KTN networks if awarded this grant.