Reengineering the immune system: How cell therapy is expanding cancer care at Hoag
Cancer treatment is evolving beyond conventional chemotherapy and radiation into an era where a patient’s own immune system can be enhanced and deployed to target tumors. At the Hoag Family Cancer Institute, cell therapy is no longer a future concept; it is an expanding clinical reality built through years of research, collaboration, and investment in specialized care.
“Cell therapy represents a fundamental shift in how we treat cancer,” says Dr. Pooja Motwani, Medical Director, Benign and Malignant Hematology. “Instead of targeting cancer from the outside, we’re empowering the immune system from within.”
Hoag has built a multidisciplinary team spanning hematology-oncology, nursing, pharmacy, infusion services, research coordination, and inpatient care—ensuring patients are supported at every step of treatment.
Cell therapy includes several modalities that use immune cells from a patient or donor to better identify and attack cancer cells.
One method is chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or CAR-T. This approach involves collecting T cells—immune cells that help the body fight disease—from a patient’s blood through a process called apheresis. The cells are then modified in a specialized laboratory, then infused back into the patient to generate a targeted immune response.
Another approach uses bispecific T-cell engager antibodies, or BiTEs. These therapies act like a connector, bringing the body’s own immune cells directly to cancer cells so they can recognize and destroy them.
For some hard-to-treat blood cancers, including certain lymphomas and multiple myeloma, these therapies have already changed what’s possible. Many patients who previously had limited options are now seeing long-lasting responses. Delivering these treatments requires highly specialized infrastructure, including cellular processing, pharmacy oversight, inpatient monitoring, and specialized nursing care. Both CAR-T therapies and bispecific antibodies are now available to patients at Hoag.
Clinical trials are advancing these treatments even further. Hoag is a leader in phase 1 cellular therapy trials, offering studies for cancers such as melanoma and pancreatic cancer, and is preparing to open trials for patients with neurological and rheumatological conditions.
Leading the program’s expansion alongside Dr. Motwani is Dr. Raghuveer Ranganathan, Medical Director of Immune Effector and Cellular Therapy. He was recruited to help direct the program and extend its reach beyond oncology to conditions such as multiple sclerosis and lupus.
“Cell therapy isn’t just about delivering a product,” Dr. Ranganathan says. “It’s about creating a system that safely supports patients before, during, and long after infusion.”
Looking ahead, Hoag’s cell therapy expertise will continue to grow. Beginning in spring 2026, Hoag plans to offer tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for patients with metastatic melanoma. At the same time, early research collaborations are exploring how similar approaches could one day help treat autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis.
At Hoag, cell therapy is not a single breakthrough. It is a growing platform designed to bring the next generation of cancer and immune-based care to Orange County—today and into the future.
