Dr. Christian Hinrichs, a leading physician-scientist at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health, has been awarded a prestigious four-year, $800,000 translational research grant from the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
The funding will support the development of “off-the-shelf” immunotherapies, a major leap forward in treating cancers caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which include cervical, throat and anal cancers.
Currently, the most effective T cell therapies require custom manufacturing for every individual patient—a process that is both time-consuming and expensive. Hinrichs’ research aims to eliminate this bottleneck by developing T cell receptor-based T cell engagers (TCR-TCEs).
Unlike traditional cell therapies, these fusion proteins act as a “bridge,” redirecting a patient’s existing immune cells to attack the cancer. Because they can be manufactured in large batches and stored for immediate use, TCR-TCEs represent a shift toward more accessible, cost-effective care.
“The goal of this research is to develop a broadly accessible treatment for cancers caused by HPV,” Hinrichs, who serves as Co-Director of the Duncan and Nancy MacMillan Cancer Immunology and Metabolism Center of Excellence, said. “By developing ‘off-the-shelf’ immunotherapies, we hope to deliver our treatments to more patients.”
The grant follows promising data from a Phase II clinical trial led by Hinrichs. In that study, a genetically engineered T cell therapy showed a 60% success rate in achieving substantial tumor shrinkage, including two cases where tumors regressed completely.
The V Foundation grant allows the team to translate these clinical insights into the next generation of “ready-to-use” medicine.
The announcement reinforces the status of Rutgers Cancer Institute as New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“Institutions like ours unite scientific expertise and clinical excellence to rapidly turn discoveries into patient care,” Dr. Steven K. Libutti, Director of Rutgers Cancer Institute and Senior Vice President of Oncology Services at RWJBarnabas Health, said.
The four-year project is expected to significantly advance the state’s leadership in oncology and provide new hope for patients battling HPV-associated malignancies across the Northeast and beyond.
