Objective
CAR-T cell therapy has transformed the treatment landscape for blood cancers but remains restricted to a minority of patients due to high costs, lengthy ex vivo manufacturing, and limited specialized hospital capacity. Current therapies cost €300–350k per patient, take weeks to deliver, and suffer from bottlenecks in viral vector manufacturing. Moreover, ex vivo processing drives T-cell exhaustion and raises safety risks, while access remains out of reach for up to 70% of eligible patients.
NanoCell Therapeutics introduces NANOCAR, a first-in-class, non-viral, in vivo CAR-T platform based on proprietary T cell-targeted lipid nanoparticles (tLNPs). This system delivers minicircle DNA encoding a CAR transposon together with short-lived mRNA encoding the Sleeping Beauty transposase, enabling stable genomic integration of CAR constructs directly within circulating T cells. A single administration generates durable CAR-T cells in vivo, bypassing the need for patient cell harvesting, viral vectors, and costly GMP expansion.
The project will advance NCTX-01, our lead clinical candidate, towards first-in-human readiness by: (i) establishing GMP-ready manufacturing of all components, (ii) developing a robust analytical and stability package, (iii) demonstrating safety and efficacy in relevant preclinical models, and (iv) aligning with regulatory authorities. Parallel business objectives include IP strengthening, investor-ready business planning, and preparation for licensing discussions with major pharmaceutical partners.
By achieving TRL 5, NANOCAR will validate a transformative, scalable, and cost-efficient alternative to conventional CAR-T. This innovation has the potential to expand patient access to life-saving therapies, cut treatment costs by up to 99%, and extend beyond oncology into autoimmune diseases and solid tumors. Success will position Europe at the forefront of next-generation cell and gene therapy, driving both health and economic impact.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2025-TRANSITIONOPEN
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3584 CH UTRECHT
Netherlands
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.