Overview
- The peer‑reviewed study, published on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, reports that GPNMB‑directed CAR‑T cells cleared tumours in multiple lab models and cured 12 of 13 mice in key experiments with months of tumour‑free survival.
- Researchers at McMaster University and King’s College London identified GPNMB on both glioblastoma cells and tumour‑associated macrophages and engineered CAR‑T cells to recognise that single protein across the tumour‑immune ecosystem.
- The approach produces a dual hit by killing cancer cells and depleting the macrophages that protect the tumour, a strategy designed to overcome the immune suppression that has limited CAR‑T success in solid brain tumours.
- The therapy remains preclinical and untested in people, and the authors and patient groups stress the need for stepwise safety testing, regulatory work, trial design and health‑service readiness before first‑in‑human studies.
- The work builds on prior GPNMB CAR‑T research, including a separate first‑in‑human sarcoma trial, and if translated to patients it could change treatment options for glioblastoma, a fast‑moving brain cancer with very poor long‑term survival.