Cell therapy method for the treatment of tumors

US9222071B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · BE

Inventors

• Ann Moriarty · Poway, US
• Didier Leturcq · San Diego, US
• Juli DeGraw · San Diego, US
• Michael R. Jackson · Del Mar, US
• Per A. Peterson · Washington, US
• Marja Heiskala · Oitti, FI

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 16, 2008
• Grant date: Dec 29, 2015
• Expiry date: Sep 8, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N2510/00
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

T cell responses are often diminished in humans with a compromised immune system. We have developed a method to isolate, stimulate and expand naïve cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTLp) to antigen-specific effectors, capable of lysing tumor cells in vivo. This ex vivo protocol produces fully functional effectors. Artificial antigen presenting cells (AAPCs; Drosophila melanogaster) transfected with human HLA class I and defined accessory molecules, are used to stimulate CD8+ T cells from both normal donors and cancer patients. The class I molecules expressed to a high density on the surface of the Drosophila cells are empty, allowing for efficient loading of multiple peptides that results in the generation of polyclonal responses recognizing tumor cells endogenously expressing the specific peptides. The responses generated are robust, antigen-specific and reproducible if the peptide epitope is a defined immunogen. This artificial antigen expression system can be adapted to treat most cancers in a significant majority of the population.