MIT Engineers Develop Method to Reprogram NK Immune Cells In-Situ for Cancer and Autoimmune Disease Treatment

Engineers at MIT have devised a novel technique to program natural killer (NK) immune cells to target cancerous T cells or autoreactive T cells, which are implicated in diseases like lymphoma and autoimmune hepatitis. This new approach allows for the reprogramming of NK cells directly within a patient's body using lipid nanoparticles to deliver messenger RNA. These mRNA molecules encode proteins that enable the NK cells to identify and eliminate dysfunctional T cells, potentially overcoming the significant manufacturing challenges associated with ex-vivo CAR NK cell therapies.