T lymphocytes are immune system cells responsible for the control and elimination of possible pathogens and cancer cells including leukemic cells. However, leukaemia often finds numerous ways to evade immune defences. To redirect and enhance the activity of T lymphocytes towards leukemic cells and thereby make them specialised killers, they can be equipped with chimeric receptors (better known as CARs).

The Verga Committee’s research centre is one of the first in Europe to have developed a phase I/II clinical trial for the treatment of high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia using specific T cells (CIK) genetically modified with a specific chimeric receptor.