Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), compositions and methods thereof

A method for treating an autoimmune disease, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an ex vivo engineered T cell or NK cell co-expressing two distinct chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) units at the cell surface, wherein the engineered T cell or NK cell comprises a nucleotide sequence comprising from 5′ to 3′ a nucleotide encoding a promoter selected from human elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) or spleen focus forming virus (SFFV), a first polynucleotide encoding a first chimeric antigen receptor polypeptide (CAR), a nucleotide encoding a first cleavage peptide, and a second polynucleotide encoding a second chimeric antigen receptor polypeptide (CAR), wherein the engineered cell further comprises a nucleotide encoding secreted IL-15/IL-15sushi or a functional fragment thereof, wherein the nucleotide encoding said enhancer is attached to the nucleotide encoding the first CAR or the nucleotide encoding the second CAR by a nucleotide encoding a second cleavage peptide that flanks either end of the two distinct encoded CAR units, wherein:

• the first CAR comprises a first signal peptide, a first antibody binding domain, a first hinge region, a first transmembrane domain, a first co-stimulatory domain, and a first signaling domain;
• and
• the second CAR comprises a second signal peptide, a second antibody binding domain, a second hinge region, a second transmembrane domain, a second co-stimulatory domain, and a second signaling domain;
• and
• wherein the first antibody binding domain and the second antibody binding domain are different and each bind to a different target, wherein the targets of the first and second antibody binding domains irrespective of order are CD19 and BMCA (CD269), wherein the first and second co-stimulatory domains are intracellular, and wherein the first and second cleavage peptides are selected from the group consisting of porcine teschovirus-1 2A (P2A), thoseaasigna virus 2A (T2A), equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV) 2A (E2A), and FMDV 2A (F2A), and wherein said autoimmune disease is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).