Moffitt Cancer Center and cTRL Therapeutics Partner To Develop Next-Generation Cell Therapies for Cancer Patients
TAMPA, Fla., and SAN FRANCISCO — Moffitt Cancer Center announced today a new partnership with cTRL Therapeutics, a biotechnology company. The organizations will collaborate to develop and advance the next generation of cellular immunotherapies designed to treat solid tumors more effectively and with greater accessibility.
cTRL Therapeutics is at the forefront of cell therapy innovation, leveraging a proprietary platform to extract circulating tumor-reactive lymphocytes (cTRLs) from blood. This approach builds on the proven advantages of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies but offers the potential for significant improvements in efficacy, consistency and patient accessibility. Unlike traditional TIL therapies that require invasive surgical procedures to obtain tumor samples, cTRL’s technology enables the isolation of potent, high-quality tumor-reactive immune cells through a simple blood draw. This approach could potentially expand access to a broader range of patients, including those with unresectable tumors or recurrent metastases.
The partnership will combine Moffitt’s world-class clinical expertise and translational research capabilities with cTRL’s cutting-edge technology to accelerate the development of novel, blood-based adoptive cell therapies. This collaboration builds on a previous research project focused on circulating tumor-reactive lymphocytes in melanoma patients that was presented at the 2024 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer annual meeting.
“Moffitt is a global leader in cellular immunotherapy,” said James J. Mulé, IPh.D., associate center director of Translational Science at Moffitt. “By partnering with cTRL Therapeutics, we’re taking a major step toward making more advanced cell therapies available to more cancer patients, including those who previously had no options. Replacing invasive tissue biopsies with a simple blood draw has the potential to revolutionize treatment development, enabling faster, less disruptive care for patients while advancing cell therapies into solid tumors, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths.”
"This collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center is an exciting milestone for cTRL Therapeutics,” said Derrell Porter, M.D., CEO of cTRL Therapeutics. “We believe our technology can help break down barriers in cancer care by making cell therapies more accessible and consistent while delivering therapeutics with curative potential. Working with Moffitt’s outstanding team, we’re committed to advancing therapies that are not only innovative but truly life changing for patients and their families.”
The collaboration will initially focus on advancing preclinical and clinical studies of circulating tumor-reactive lymphocytes-based therapies for solid tumors, with the potential to expand into additional indications.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 57 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About cTRL Therapeutics
cTRL Therapeutics is at the forefront of developing next-generation cell therapies for solid tumors using its proprietary IsoQore™ platform. By isolating and expanding rare, potent circulating tumor-reactive lymphocytes (cTRLs) from blood, the company offers a safer, scalable, and more accessible alternative to traditional cell therapies. With cTRL-001 as its lead asset, cTRL Therapeutics is poised to transform cancer treatment by enabling outpatient, community-based administration and significantly reducing the time-to-treatment. For more information, visit www.ctrl-tx.com.
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