Multiplex dPCR solutions for next-generation CAR-T products

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy is a promising immunotherapy for treating cancer, but it requires careful monitoring of the cellular kinetics and biodistribution of the modified cells in patients. One of the challenges in this field is to accurately quantify the transgene copy number and the percentage of modified cells at the DNA level. Digital PCR (dPCR) is a novel technology that can overcome these limitations by separating each PCR reaction into thousands of individual partitions. The partitions are individually counted as positive or negative to directly quantify the sample without a standard curve.

This webinar will provide an introduction to, and describe the evolution of, CAR-T therapies. Two case studies that apply digital PCR to the monitoring of CAR-T therapies will be presented.

Case Study 1: Multiplexed CAR-T assays for next-generation, multi-domain therapies using the QIAcuity Digital PCR System.
Case Study 2: Monitoring multiple approved CAR-T therapies with a single dPCR assay: benefits and challenges for next generation clinical trials.

About the speaker

Nathan Riccitelli, PhD, Associate Director, Innovative Technologies

Navigate BioPharma Services, Inc.

Nathan Riccitelli, PhD, is an Associate Director at Navigate BioPharma Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Novartis that provides comprehensive specialty assay development and clinical testing services for the BioPharma industry. He leads the design and validation of cutting-edge molecular diagnostics based on technologies such as NGS, qPCR and dPCR. Dr. Riccitelli received his PhD in 2013 from the University of California, Irvine, under the supervision of Dr. Andrej Luptak. He has over ten years of experience in developing and implementing assays for clinical trials and research projects involving various types of cancer.

Kevin Lee, MS, Scientist, Genomics Assay Development

Navigate BioPharma Services, Inc.

Kevin Lee, MS, is a Scientist at Navigate BioPharma Services, Inc. He has over four years of experience in biomedical engineering, molecular biology, assay development and protein science. Mr. Lee received his Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering from National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan in 2014. He then pursued his Master of Science degree in biomedical engineering from the University of California, Irvine, under the supervision of Dr. Jered Haun. He has worked in molecular biology for more than five years with an emphasis on qPCR and digital PCR technologies.