GC Cell (GC셀) announced on the 31st that it has filed a patent application for technology related to chimeric antigen receptor natural killer cells (CAR-NK), an immune cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors.

This patent is based on GC Cell’s proprietary CAR-NK platform. CAR-NK is a next-generation immuno-oncology therapy in which natural killer (NK) cells are engineered to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that targets cancer cells. Compared with existing CAR-T therapies, it is regarded as a treatment strategy that offers higher safety and fewer side effects, attracting significant recent attention. GC Cell’s CAR-NK patent technology targets CLDN18.2, a protein expressed on the surface of major solid tumor cells such as gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer. CLDN18.2 is also a cell adhesion tight junction protein that a number of pharmaceutical and biotech companies have recently identified as a key therapeutic target.

Unlike CAR-T therapies, which use a patient’s own cells, CAR-NK therapies utilize cells from healthy donors. This enables development as an off-the-shelf therapy amenable to mass production. It is also evaluated as an alternative that can help reduce treatment costs and improve patient access by streamlining the manufacture and supply of therapies. Owing to the innate immune characteristics unique to NK cells, CAR-NK therapies are also expected to offer favorable safety profiles during treatment. GC Cell is a leading domestic company developing CAR-NK-based solid tumor therapies and is reporting positive outcomes through various studies, including Phase 1 clinical trials.

Won Sung-yong, CEO of GC Cell, said, “This patent is one of the continuous achievements in the research and development of solid tumor pipelines based on the CAR-NK platform,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen our global competitiveness through ongoing related R&D.”

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