RNAscope in situ hybridization (ISH) is the only method for specific detection of engineered CAR-T and TCR-T cell therapies in clinical trial patient biopsies.  IHC is unable to differentiate engineered T cells from endogenous cells. However, RNAscope probes targeting viral untranslated regions (UTRs) common to CAR and TCR mRNAs, enable specific detection and quantification of CAR/TCR-T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

RNAscope UTR probes are easily multiplexed with probes to assess activation, e.g., IFNG and GZMB, as well as with T cell IHC markers, e.g. CD3, CD4, CD8 to measure T cell recruitment. These assays are used to monitor T cell therapies in post-treatment patient biopsies and in preclinical animal models of safety and efficacy.

• Simultaneously detect CAR/TCR-T cells with cytokines, immune cell markers and target antigens
• Quantification of cell therapy tumor and stromal distribution and and T cell recruitment
• Patient biopsy analysis to link cell therapy pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and efficacy.