When the team tested the novel CAR-NKT therapy on 35 ovarian patient-derived tumor samples, the results were striking. The CAR-NKT cells successfully killed ovarian cancer cells in every single sample — including samples from both newly diagnosed patients and patients whose cancers had recurred after chemotherapy.

“Combating this high rate of recurrence in ovarian cancer is my career mission,” said co-senior author Memarzadeh, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and a member of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center and the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “When I see these results, I know we’re getting closer to offering patients like mine a more effective and permanent solution.”