# Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using a Chemical Tag > This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that recognize a chemical tag, which is attached to a small drug molecule, along with a separate folate compound. - **Patent:** US 20240165159 - **Original title:** Compositions and methods for car t cell therapy - **Owner:** Purdue Research Foundation - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 1 - **Field:** biotech, pharmaceutical, gene_editing, oncology ## What it does The patent outlines a three-step method to treat cancer. First, a patient receives a compound where a small drug molecule is connected to a "targeting moiety" (like a chemical tag) by a "linker" (Claim 1(i)). Second, the patient gets CAR T cells, which are engineered immune cells designed to specifically recognize and bind to this "targeting moiety" (Claim 1(ii)). Third, a "folate conjugate" is administered, which is a folate molecule linked to other parts, but importantly, this conjugate *does not* have the targeting moiety that the CAR T cells recognize (Claim 1(iii)). For example, if the targeting moiety is FITC (Claim 3), the CAR T cells would have an anti-FITC antibody part (Claim 12) to find and attack cells marked by the FITC-tagged compound. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover methods where the initial compound (small molecule ligand + linker + targeting moiety) is an antibody or an antibody fragment (Claim 11). - Does not cover CAR T cell therapies where the CAR T cells directly target cancer cells without an intermediate targeting moiety. - Does not cover methods where the administered folate conjugate also contains the specific targeting moiety that the CAR T cells are designed to recognize (Claim 1(iii)). - Does not cover methods that do not involve all three distinct administration steps: the compound, the CAR T cells, and the folate conjugate (Claim 1). ## The clever bit The novelty lies in the indirect targeting approach. Instead of engineering CAR T cells to directly attack cancer cells, this method uses a separate, small molecule compound to "tag" cancer cells. The CAR T cells then attack only those tagged cells, offering a potential way to fine-tune the therapy's activity and reduce off-target effects. ## Real-world examples 1. CAR T cell therapies for blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia 2. Potential future CAR T cell therapies for solid tumors 3. Immunotherapies using small molecule drug conjugates ## Why it matters CAR T cell therapy is a powerful way to fight cancer, but it can sometimes cause severe side effects. This patent aims to improve the safety and control of CAR T cell treatments. By using a "targeting moiety" as an intermediate tag, doctors might be able to better control when and where the CAR T cells become active, potentially reducing harm to healthy tissues while still effectively attacking tumors. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using a Chemical Tag cover? This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that recognize a chemical tag, which is attached to a small drug molecule, along with a separate folate compound. ### Who owns patent US 20240165159? This patent is owned by Purdue Research Foundation. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on October 25, 2043, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 20240165159 cited by? This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? CAR T cell therapy is a powerful way to fight cancer, but it can sometimes cause severe side effects. This patent aims to improve the safety and control of CAR T cell treatments. By using a "targeting moiety" as an intermediate tag, doctors might be able to better control when and where the CAR T cells become active, potentially reducing harm to healthy tissues while still effectively attacking tumors. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover methods where the initial compound (small molecule ligand + linker + targeting moiety) is an antibody or an antibody fragment (Claim 11). **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20240165159/compositions-and-methods-for-car-t-cell-therapy **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240165159 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [Targeting Cancer with CAR T Cells Using Small Molecule 'Flags'](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20250171803/methods-and-compositions-for-car-t-cell-therapy) — This patent describes a method to treat cancer by giving a patient special immune cells (CAR T cells) that are trained to find a specific 'flag' molecule, and then also giving them a drug molecule attached to that same 'flag' in varying amounts or forms. - [How Special Molecules Boost Cancer-Fighting CAR-T Cells](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20240082373/compositions-for-chimeric-antigen-receptor-t-cell-therapy-and-uses-thereof) — This patent describes special molecules made of a CAR-T cell activator attached to a fat-like part, designed to make cancer-fighting CAR-T cells grow and work better inside a patient. - [How Genetically Modified T-Cells Fight CD19 Cancers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9481728/compositions-and-methods-for-treatment-of-cancer) — This patent describes how to create and use genetically modified human T cells that target and kill cancer cells expressing the CD19 protein, offering a new way to treat blood cancers. - [How Genetically Modified T-Cells Attack Cancer](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9328156/use-of-chimeric-antigen-receptor-modified-t-cells-to-treat-cancer) — This patent describes how human T cells are genetically engineered to express a special receptor (CAR) that specifically targets and kills cancer cells, particularly those with the CD19 marker, offering a new way to treat cancer. - [Treating a Specific Lymphoma with Modified T Cells](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12600775/chimeric-antigen-receptor-t-cell-therapy) — This patent describes a method to treat a difficult-to-treat type of lymphoma by taking a patient's own immune cells, modifying them to recognize and attack cancer, and then giving them back to the patient.