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Over ons Praktische zaken Waar vindt u ons prof. dr. E. (Edwin) Bremer
University Medical Center Groningen

prof. dr. E. (Edwin) Bremer

Adjunct Hoogleraar

1: Development of Point-of-Care CAR-T cell therapy

A major research focus is the development of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, a breakthrough advance for several hematological malignancies that has strongly improved treatment outcome for B cell lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma. This research line spans the whole spectrum of research from initial concept, design and manufacture, preclinical validation, to GMP-compliant manufacturing and clinical evaluation.

Specifically, we have set-up and are further developing a local Point-of-Care clinical program, in which patients are treated in an ongoing phase II non-inferiority study with POC CD19 CAR-T manufactured at the UMCG vs. standard-of-care commerical CAR-T Yescarta. This study serves as a starting point for exploratory research (e.g. using full spectrum flow cytometry, single cell RNAseq, CITEseq) that aims to address questions such as why certain patients respond or not and which next-gen therapeutics can be developed to improve treatment response. Using this information, we combine CAR engineering strategies, with gene-editing and nanomedicine to generate novel concepts and test those in preclinical settings.

Additionally, we are developing novel CAR-Ts for other hematological and solid malignancies. Lead example is UMCG-001, a ligand-based CAR for CD7-positive T cell malignancies scheduled to enter clinical evaluation. Various novel CAR targets and novel CAR structures/costimulatory combinations as well as effector cells (e.g. macrophages) are being explored in order to identify the best suited solution for each disease.

Funding: Dutch Cancer Society, European Union, Just Transition Fund (JTF), UMCG PPP

2: Development of a GMP-grade lentiviral manufacturing platform

For the PoC manufactur of CAR-T cells, the cost of the raw lentivirus material represents a major bottleneck for the clinical evaluatoin of many of the Dutch ATMPs being developed. One of my research aims is to ensure clinical translation of academic CAR-T therapy, among others through the DARE-NL infrastructure initiative of the Dutch Cancer Society. Within DARE-NL, my group develops a GMP-grade lentiviral manufacturing platform intended to provide cost-effective lentivirus to Dutch academia to drive clinical translation of academic initiatives. This research spans from plasmid and process design and optimization, pre-GMP lentivirus manufacture and purification to tech transfer and GMP-manufacture.

Funding: Dutch Cancer Society, European Union, Just Transition Fund (JTF), UMCG innovation fund

3. Designing strategies to enhance the anti-tumor immune response in cancer

Adoptive T-cell immunotherapy is a form of immunotherapy in which cytolytic immune effector cells (so-called T-cells) that have infiltrated in the tumor are isolated, massively expanded in vitro, and subsequently given back to the patient. This strategy has started to yield exciting clinical benefits, in particular for melanoma patients. Here, in a follow-up of 5 years ~25% of patients achieved a durable complete response in clinical trials with adoptive T-cell immunotherapy, whereas with current treatment regimens survival is limited to 6-9 months.

Despite these promising results, the majority of patients does not achieve complete responses and succumbs to melanoma. Furthermore, the clinical efficacy of adoptive T-cell immunotherapy in other solid and hematological malignancies has been disappointing. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance the efficacy of adoptive T-cell immunotherapy. In this research line we develop an approach to optimize cytolytic T-cell activity that can be easily incorporated into current/experimental adoptive T-cell strategies. In brief, by genetically fusing TRAIL to a T-cell specific antibody fragment (scFv), TRAIL is selectively delivered to the cell surface of T-cells. Consequently, the tumoricidal activity of TRAIL is added to the T-cell armament and can participate in tumor cell killing. This approach leads to an ~500-fold increase in tumoricidal activity of T-cells in various pre-clinical studies. Further, we develop bispecific antibodies approach to trigger tumor-localized activation of immune cells.

Funding: Dutch Cancer Society, EU

Laatst gewijzigd:01 juli 2025 14:51