Cereblon-based heterodimerizable chimeric antigen receptors

1. A chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) comprising:

(a) a first polypeptide comprising an antigen-binding domain; a transmembrane domain;

cereblon or a functional portion thereof, wherein said cereblon or functional portion thereof is capable of binding to a cereblon-binding compound; and a primary cell signaling domain;

wherein said first polypeptide does not comprise a costimulatory domain; and

(b) a second polypeptide comprising a transmembrane domain; Aiolos or a functional portion thereof or Ikaros or a functional portion thereof, wherein said Aiolos or functional portion thereof or Ikaros or functional portion thereof is capable of binding the cereblon-binding compound; and a costimulatory domain;

wherein in the presence of said cereblon-binding compound, said first polypeptide and said second polypeptide form a heterodimer.

2. The CAR of claim 1 , wherein said first polypeptide comprises, in order from N-terminus to C-terminus: said antigen-binding domain, said transmembrane domain, said cereblon or functional portion thereof, and said primary cell signaling domain; and said second polypeptide comprises, in order from N-terminus to C-terminus: said transmembrane domain, said Aiolos or functional portion thereof or said Ikaros or functional portion thereof, and said costimulatory domain.

3. The CAR of claim 1 , wherein said first polypeptide comprises, in order from N-terminus to C-terminus: said antigen-binding domain, said cereblon or functional portion thereof, said transmembrane domain, and said primary cell signaling domain; and said second polypeptide comprises, in order from N-terminus to C-terminus: said Aiolos or functional portion thereof or said Ikaros or functional portion thereof, said transmembrane domain, and said costimulatory domain.

4. The CAR of claim 1 , wherein said primary cell signaling domain is CD3ζ.

5. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein said signaling domain is or comprises an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM).

6. The CAR of claim 5 , wherein said ITAM is a signaling domain from one or more of FcRγ, FcRβ, CD3ζ, CD3γ, CD3δ, CD3ε, CD5, CD22, CD20, CD79a, CD79b, CD278 (ICOS), FcERI, CD66d, DAP10 and/or DAP12.

7. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein said costimulatory domain comprises a functional signaling domain of one or more of CD28, 4-1BB (CD137), OX40, an activating NK cell receptor, BTLA, a Toll ligand receptor, CD2, CD7, CD27, CD30, CD40, CDS, ICAM-L LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18), B7-H3, CDS, ICAM-1, ICOS (CD278), GITR, BAFFR, LIGHT, HVEM (LIGHTR), KIRDS2, SLAMF7, NKp80 (KLRF1), NKp44, NKp30, NKp46, CD19, CD4, CD8α, CD8β, IL2Rβ, IL2Rγ, IL7Rα, ITGA4, VLA1, CD49a, ITGA4, IA4, CD49D, ITGA6, VLA-6, CD49f, ITGAD, CD11d, ITGAE, CD103, ITGAL, CD11a, LFA-1, ITGAM, CD11b, ITGAX, CD11c, ITGB1, CD29, ITGB2, CD18, ITGB7, NKG2D, NKG2C, TNFR2, TRANCE/RANKL, DNAM1 (CD226), SLAMF4 (CD244, 2B4), CD84, CD96 (Tactile), CEACAM1, CRTAM, Ly9 (CD229), CD160 (BY55), PSGL1, CD100 (SEMA4D), CD69, SLAMF6 (NTB-A, Ly108), SLAM (SLAMF1, CD150, IPO-3), BLAME (SLAMF8), SELPLG (CD162), LTBR, LAT, GADS, SLP-76, PAG/Cbp, CD19a, DAP10, DAP12, a ligand of CD83, an MHC class I molecule, a TNF receptor protein, an immunoglobulin-like protein, a cytokine receptor, an integrin, and/or a signaling lymphocytic activation molecule.

8. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein said transmembrane domain is a transmembrane domain from alpha chain of the T-cell receptor, beta chain of the T-cell receptor, zeta chain of the T-cell receptor, CD28, CD3ε, CD45, CD4, CD5, CD8, CD9, CD16, CD22, CD33, CD37, CD64, CD80, CD86, CD134, CD137 or CD154.

9. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein said antigen-binding domain is a receptor for said antigen.

10. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein said antigen-binding domain is an antibody or binding fragment thereof that binds said antigen.

11. The CAR of claim 10 , wherein said antibody or bingding fragment thereof is a single chain Fv fragment (scFv).

12. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein said antigen is a tumor-associated antigen (TAA) or a tumor-specific antigen (TSA).

13. The CAR of claim 12 , wherein said TAA or TSA is one or more of 4-1BB, 5T4, 8H9, B7-H6, adenocarcinoma antigen, α-fetoprotein, B Cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA), BAFF, B-lymphoma cell, C242 antigen, CA9, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA-125, carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA-IX), CCR4, CD3, CD4, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD23 (IgE receptor), CD28, CD30 (TNFRSF8), CD33, CD38, CD40, CD44v6, CD44v7/8, CD51, CD52, CD56, CD74, CD80, CD123, CD152, CD171, CD200, CD221, CE7, CEA, C-MET, CNT0888, CTLA-4, DRS, EpCAM, ErbB2, ErbB3/4, EGFR, EGFRvIII, EphA2, EGP2, EGP40, FAP, Fetal AchR, fibronectin extra domain-B, folate receptor-a, folate receptor 1, G250/CAIX, GD2, GD3, glycoprotein 75, GPNMB, HER2/neu, HGF, HLA-AI MAGE A1, HLA-A2 NY-ESO-1, HMW-MAA, human scatter factor receptor kinase, IGF-1 receptor, IGF-I, IgGl, IL-6, IL-13, IL-13 receptor a2, IL-11 receptor a, insulin-like growth factor I receptor, integrin a5I31, integrin avI33, Kappa light chain, L1-CAM, Lambda light chain, Lewis Y, mesothelin, MORAb-009, MS4A1, MUC1, MUC16, mucin CanAg, NCAM, N-glycolylneuraminic acid, NKG2D ligands, NPC-1C, PDGF-R a, PDL192, phosphatidylserine, prostate-specific cancer antigen (PSCA), prostatic carcinoma cells, PSMA, PSC1, RANKL, RON, ROR1, SCH 900105, SDC1, SLAMF7, sp17, TAG72, tenascin C, TGF β2, TGF-I3, TL1A, TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2, tumor antigen CTAA16.88, VEGF-A, VEGF receptors, VEGFR-1, VEGFR2, TEM1, TEM8, and/or vimentin.

14. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein when said first polypeptide and said second polypeptide are expressed within a T cell or NK cell, and heterodimerize, the CAR transmits (i) a primary activation signal, or (ii) a primary activation signal and a costimulatory signal; wherein the primary activation signal or the primary activation signal and the costimulatory signal are capable of activating a T cell or NK cell.

15. The CAR of any of claims 1 , wherein said cereblon-binding compound is thalidomide ((RS)-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione), lenalidomide (3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-isoindol-2-yl)piperidine-2,6-dione), pomalidomide (4-amino-2-[(3RS)-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione), 3-[4-(4-morpholin-4-ylmethyl-benzyloxy)-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-Isoindol-2-yl]-piperidine-2,6-dione; or 3-(4-((4-((4-(2,4-difluorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl)methyl)benzyl)oxy)-1-oxoisoindolin-2-yl)piperidine-2,6-dione.

16. The CAR of claim 2 , wherein said antigen-binding domain is an antibody or binding fragment thereof that binds said antigen.

17. The CAR of claim 16 , wherein said binding fragment is a single-chain antibody variable domain (scFv).

18. The CAR of claim 3 , wherein said antigen-binding domain is an antibody or binding fragment thereof that binds said antigen.

19. The CAR of claim 18 , wherein said binding fragment is a single-chain antibody variable domain (scFv).

20. The CAR of claim 1 , wherein when said first polypeptide and said second polypeptide are expressed within a T cell or NK cell, and heterodimerize, the CAR transmits a primary activation signal and a costimulatory signal, wherein the primary activation signal and the costimulatory signal are capable of activating said T cell or NK cell.

21. The CAR of claim 1 , wherein said costimulatory domain comprises a functional signaling domain of CD28 or 4-1BB (CD137).

22. The CAR of claim 4 , wherein said costimulatory domain comprises a functional signaling domain of CD28 or 4-1BB (CD137).