One of the most innovative options for a growing range of patients with hematologic (blood-related) cancer is immunotherapy. Immunotherapy drugs “teach” the immune system to better recognize and attack particular types of cancer; in contrast, chemotherapy and radiation therapy work directly on the tumor.

“It’s important for patients with hematologic cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma to have a personalized treatment plan, implemented by a specialist with expertise in advanced treatments like immunotherapy,” said Azra Borogovac, M.D., M.S., a hematologist at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center — the most advanced comprehensive cancer center in Orange County. There, Borogovac is part of a team bringing new hope to patients with blood cancers and leading pioneering research in the field.
Novel immunotherapies being studied at City of Hope Orange County by Borogovac and colleagues include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy and bi- and trispecific antibodies.
CAR T cell therapy extracts T cells — a type of white blood cell that helps the immune system fight infection — from a patient's bloodstream and re-engineers them to attack proteins found in cancer cells. Physicians then reintroduce these modified T cells, called CAR T cells, into the patient’s body, where they get to work destroying targeted tumor cells. With its clinical care, research and manufacturing capabilities, City of Hope has the resources to deliver CAR T cell therapy to patients at lifesaving speed.
One of the biggest benefits of CAR T-cell therapy is its staying power. Sometimes called a “living drug,” CAR T cells continue multiplying and are capable of fighting cancer cells for extended periods of time.
“City of Hope has one of the most comprehensive CAR T cell programs in the world, and our work doesn’t stop,” said Borogovac. “We offer more than 800 clinical trials each year — the most cancer-focused clinical trials in California, giving patients access to promising new treatments long before they become the standard of care.”
Since 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved six types of CAR T cell therapy for several types of blood cancer, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, multiple myeloma and certain forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Bispecific antibodies also bolster the immune system to fight cancer. These antibodies have two receptors on them: One receptor attaches to a T-cell and the other clings to a cancer cell. The bispecific antibody essentially acts like a pair of handcuffs, joining the two cells and making it easier for T-cells to detect and attack the cancer cells.
Unlike CAR T cells, bispecific antibodies aren’t generated from a patient’s existing cells. Instead, modified immune cells can be manufactured without patients needing to undergo cell collection procedures. Researchers hope bispecific antibody therapies will lead to more treatment options for blood cancers that have a high risk of relapse. Potentially, bispecific antibodies could allow for an outpatient treatment, preserving patients’ quality of life while effectively targeting the cancer cells.
Trispecific antibodies take the approach one step further, combining the binding properties of three different antibodies into a single cancer-fighting molecule. Borogovac and her team are conducting a clinical trial of one such trispecific antibody — a Phase 1, first-in-human dose escalation study currently open at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center.
“This study is the crucial first step in testing this novel antibody in humans. Here, it is being given to patients who have multiple myeloma that has come back or kept growing even after treatment,” said Borogovac. “The ultimate goal is to have a new treatment option for our patients, a treatment that safely and effectively strengthens the immune system’s ability to attack cancer cells and destroy tumors.”
One of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S, City of Hope is ranked Top 5 in the nation for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report 2024. As a national leader in the treatment and research of blood cancers, City of Hope also has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as “high performing” in the treatment of myeloma, leukemia and lymphoma.
First in research. First in treatment. First in survival. When it comes to cancer, it’s Hope First. Call (888) 333-HOPE (4673).