Pluri collaborates with Bar-Ilan University to advance cancer immunotherapy

Pluri (PLUR) announced that the Israel Innovation Authority will fund Pluri’s collaboration with the Bar-Ilan University Research and Development Company, BIRAD, the commercial arm of Bar-Ilan University, to support the continued development of Placental Mucosal Associated Invariant T, MAIT, cells for solid tumors. MAIT cells are known to have unique advantages compared to conventional T-cells but have previously been difficult to expand and scale for clinical investigation and potential commercialization. MAIT cells are believed to be particularly suitable for the treatment of solid tumors, a significant unmet medical need. Under this collaboration, Prof. Cohen’s novel Siglec-based Chimeric Switch Receptors will be integrated into Pluri’s CAR-MAIT cell therapy platform to significantly enhance CAR-MAIT’s efficacy and tumor specificity.