{
  "id": 2728243,
  "title": "AI supported in silico screening of chimeric antigen receptor therapy targets",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/ai-supported-in-silico-screening-of-chimeric-antigen-receptor-therapy",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-22T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.21.746142v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cell therapy has revolutionized the treatment of refractory B cell malignancies by targeting CD19. However, expanding this approach to solid tumors, other hematological malignancies, and autoimmune diseases has revealed the challenges in selecting suitable CAR targets. Therapeutic efficacy and safety are influenced by various molecular features, such as isoform usage, subcellular localization, secretion, epitope stability, and the structural context of antibody-derived binding domains. Recent advancements in transcriptomics, structural biology, and artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled comprehensive assessment of these properties.\n\nThis article outlines the key molecular features of effective and safe CAR targets and introduces a practical framework that combines public datasets with computational and AI-based tools for their evaluation. By examining HER2 as a case study, the authors demonstrate how isoform-resolved expression, single-cell analyses, topology prediction, structure modeling, epitope mapping, and in silico binding analyses can uncover potential pitfalls that conventional target-expression screens may overlook. The proposed framework offers a systematic approach to prioritize targets and epitopes, guide preclinical investigations, and mitigate risks in clinical translation. The authors believe that such integrative workflows will become essential in shifting CAR target discovery from mere expression analysis to informed therapeutic design.",
  "summary": "Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cell therapy has achieved transformative clinical success through targeting of CD19 in refractory B cell malignancies, but extension of this strategy to solid tumors, other hematological malignancies, and autoimmune disease has exposed the complexity of target selection. Antigen abundance alone is not sufficient to define a suitable CAR target. Instead, therapeutic…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}