First-in-field iPSC-derived helper T cells for off-the-shelf CAR T

Researchers at Boston University’s Center for Regenerative Medicine and Boston Medical Center reported a scalable iPSC-based method to generate CD4+ helper T cells for CAR T manufacturing. The work, led by Gustavo Mostoslavsky and Julian Amirault, uses Notch signaling to support early lineage decisions while removing Notch later and reducing anti-TCR signaling to mature CD4+ cells. The approach is positioned as a pathway toward off-the-shelf CAR T by lowering reliance on patient-specific manufacturing. The team said the next step is to introduce chimeric antigen receptors into iPSC-derived CD4+ and CD8+ cells and test antitumor activity in animal models.