# CAR-T for glioma (IL13Rα2, GD2, EGFRvIII, multi-target)

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/glioma-car-t/  
OnCo record `glioma-car-t` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Engineered immune cells delivered directly into the brain or spinal fluid. Some children with diffuse midline glioma, a brainstem tumour with no curative treatment, have had striking, if temporary, responses.

## Summary

City of Hope IL13Rα2 CAR-T (intraventricular; one complete response 2016, phase 1 of 65 patients 2024 with 50% stable disease or better). Stanford GD2 CAR-T for H3K27M diffuse midline glioma (Majzner/Monje; Nature 2022 and 2024: radiographic and clinical improvement in most, one durable complete response). Penn EGFRvIII CAR-T showed antigen loss; dual-target CARv3-TEAM-E (MGH, 2024-26) and multi-antigen and locoregional approaches follow. Barriers: heterogeneity, antigen loss, exhaustion, neurotoxicity in a closed space.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: phase-1
- Last checked: 2026-09-06
- Principle: Locoregional (intraventricular or intratumoural) delivery of CAR-T against glioma-restricted antigens, often repeated.
- Strengths: Bypasses BBB via direct CNS delivery; Proof of activity in DIPG and recurrent GBM
- Limitations: Transient responses, antigen escape; Tumour inflammation-associated neurotoxicity (TIAN); Manufacturing and repeat dosing logistics

## Sources

- Majzner et al., GD2-CAR T cell therapy for H3K27M-mutated diffuse midline gliomas (Nature 2022): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04489-4
- Brown et al., Regression of glioblastoma after IL13Ralpha2 CAR T-cell therapy (NEJM 2016): https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1610497

## Connected records

- cancers: [Diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27-altered (including DIPG)](https://onco.cc/cancers/dipg-dmg/), [Glioma & glioblastoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/glioblastoma/), [Neuroblastoma (paediatric)](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroblastoma/), [Paediatric high-grade glioma (excluding diffuse midline glioma)](https://onco.cc/cancers/paediatric-high-grade-glioma/)
- fronts: [Cell Therapy](https://onco.cc/fronts/cell-therapy/)
- technologies: [Armoured, logic-gated & next-gen CARs](https://onco.cc/technologies/armored-car/), [CAR-T cell therapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/car-t/)
- targets: [EGFR](https://onco.cc/targets/egfr/)
- institutions: [Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania](https://onco.cc/institutions/penn-abramson/), [City of Hope](https://onco.cc/institutions/city-of-hope/), [Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center](https://onco.cc/institutions/mgh/), [Stanford Health Care / Stanford Cancer Institute](https://onco.cc/institutions/stanford/)
- terms: [Blood-brain barrier (BBB)](https://onco.cc/terms/blood-brain-barrier/), [EGFRvIII](https://onco.cc/terms/egfrviii/), [H3 K27M (diffuse midline glioma)](https://onco.cc/terms/h3k27m/)
- key papers: [GD2-CAR T cell therapy for H3K27M-mutated diffuse midline gliomas](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-majzner-nature/), [Regression of Glioblastoma after Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-brown-n-engl-j-med/)
- ideas: [Deliver CAR-T cells straight into the fluid around the brain](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-bio2-intraventricular-car-t/), [Neoadjuvant immunotherapy with surgical window for glioblastoma](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-neoadjuvant-io-glioblastoma/), [Open the barrier so engineered immune cells can enter the brain](https://onco.cc/ideas/idea-bio2-fus-for-cell-entry/)
- bottlenecks: [The brain: barrier and sanctuary](https://onco.cc/bottlenecks/b-brain-delivery/)
- pathways: [The blood-brain barrier & brain metastasis](https://onco.cc/pathways/blood-brain-barrier-metastasis/)
- roadmaps: [Paediatric oncology roadmap: cooperative-group cures → engineered immunity → drugs developed for children first](https://onco.cc/roadmaps/paediatric-oncology-roadmap/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/glioma-car-t.json