Mesoblast acquires chimeric antigen receptor platform technology

Mesoblast (MESO) “announced that it has acquired an exclusive worldwide license to a patented chimeric antigen receptor – CAR – technology platform for precision-enhanced augmentation of therapeutic mesenchymal lineage stromal cell products. Mesoblast plans to incorporate the engineered CARs to further boost effectiveness of Mesoblast’s products, with the goal of enhancing the target specificity and augmenting inherent properties of immunomodulation and tissue regeneration. Mesoblast’s MSC technology platforms, including the first and only FDA-approved MSC product in the U.S., are designed for the treatment of tissue-specific inflammatory diseases due to their inherent homing capabilities and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of genetically engineering CAR constructs into MSCs is to substantially enhance targeted homing to inflamed tissue resulting in greater potency.”