Baylor College of Medicine

Wilson Wolf Manufacturing Corporation

Other

Cell Medica Limited

Allovir, Inc.

Cliona M Rooney

John R Wilson

Daniel P Welch

Ann Marie Leen

Juan F Vera

Juan Fernando Vera Valdes

Ulrike Gerdemann

Rainer Ludwig Knaus

Carlos A Ramos

Sandhya Sharma

Neeharika Narala

Stephen M G Gottschalk

Katy Rebecca Newton

Thomas C T Shum

Norihiro Watanabe

Benjamin Hyun Joon Shin

Bilal Omer

Minhtran V Ngo

Alex Salyer

John Robert Wilson

Anne Marie Leen

An improved method of culturing cells for cell therapy applications that includes growing desired cells in the presence of antigen-presenting cells and/or feeder cells and with medium volume to surface area ratio of up to 1 ml/cmif the growth surface is not comprised of gas permeable material and up to 2 ml/cmif the growth surface is comprised of gas permeable material. The desired cells are at a surface density of less than 0.5×10cells/cmat the onset of a production cycle, and the surface density of the desired cells plus the surface density of the antigen presenting cells and/or feeder cells are at least about 1.25×10cells/cm.

Methods of cell culture for adoptive cell therapy

The present invention encompasses methods and compositions for the generation and use of cytotoxic T lymphocytes that target multiple viruses or that are specific for multiple tumor antigens. In specific embodiments, the generation methods employ use of certain cytokines to promote proliferation and reduce cell death in an activated T cell population and/or that employ a particular bioreactor having a gas permeable membrane.

Generation of CTL lines with specificity against multiple tumor antigens or multiple viruses

The present invention concerns methods of generating CTLs that are able to target at least one antigen from two or more viruses. The method includes exposing mixtures of peptides for different antigens to the same plurality of PBMCs and, at least in certain aspects, expanding the cells in the presence of IL4 and IL7.

Pepmixes to generate multiviral CTLs with broad specificity

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for enhancing expansion of immune cells for immunotherapy. In particular embodiments, immune cells, such as T-cells, express a constitutively active cytokine receptor in which the transmembrane and endodomains are able to provide an activating signal separately from any input to the corresponding exodomain to which they are operably linked. In specific embodiments, the transmembrane and endodomain from IL-7Rα is utilized with the exodomain of CD34.

Constitutively active cytokine receptors for cell therapy

Pepmixes to generate multiviral CTLS with broad specificity

An in vitro expansion process for rapid expansion of antigen specific T cells, such as allogeneic antigen specific T cells comprising the steps culturing in a gas permeable vessel a population of PBMCs (such as allogeneic PBMCs) in the presence of antigen, for example a peptide or peptide mix relevant to a target antigen(s), in the presence of an exogenous cytokine characterized in that the expansion to provide the desired population of T cells is 14 days or less, for example 9, 10, 11 or 12 days, such as 10 days. The disclosure also extends to T cell populations generated by and obtained from the method and the use of same in therapy.

Process for T cell expansion

An improved method of culturing cells for cell therapy applications that includes growing desired cells in the presence of antigen-presenting cells and/or feeder cells and with medium volume to surface area ratio of up to 1 ml/cmif the growth surface is not comprised of gas permeable material and up to 2 ml/cmif the growth surface is comprised of gas permeable material. The desired cells are at a surface density of less than 0.5&#xd7;10cells/cmat the onset of a production cycle, and the surface density of the desired cells plus the surface density of the antigen presenting cells and/or feeder cells are at least about 1.25&#xd7;10cells/cm.

Embodiments of the disclosure concern methods and compositions for immunotherapy for human papillomavirus infection and diseases associated therewith. In specific embodiments, methods concern production of immune cells that target one or more antigens of HPV16 and/or HPV18, including methods with stimulation steps that employ IL-7 and IL-15, but not IL-6 and/or IL-12. Other specific embodiments utilize stimulations in the presence of certain cells, such as costimulatory cells and certain antigen presenting cells.

Generation of HPV-specific T-cells

The present disclosure relates to a novel process for expanding T cells, such as autologous T cells, cell populations therefrom, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the said cell populations and use of the cells and compositions for treatment, particular the treatment or prophylaxis of virus infection and/or cancer, for example in immune compromised or immune competent human patients.

Process of expanding T cells

Methods for generating/expanding populations of immune cells comprising immune cells specific for an Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) lytic antigen are disclosed, the methods comprising stimulating immune cells specific for an EBV lytic antigen by contacting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with: (i) one or more peptides corresponding to all or part of one or more EBV lytic antigens; or (ii) antigen presenting cells (APCs) presenting one or more peptides corresponding to all or part of one or more EBV lytic antigens. Also disclosed are populations of immune cells comprising immune cells specific for an EBV lytic antigen expanded according to such methods, and uses thereof.

EBV-specific immune cells

Embodiments of the disclosure concern cell therapy methods and compositions utilizing cells expressing at least a chimeric TGF&#x3b2; receptor including the exodomain of a TGF&#x3b2;II receptor and an endodomain that is not from TGF&#x3b2; receptor, thereby converting the negative signal of TGF&#x3b2; for T cell proliferation into a T cell activation signal. In at least certain aspects, cells harboring the chimeric TGF&#x3b2; receptor also harbor one or more chimeric antigen receptors.

Growing community of inventors

Bellaire, TX, United States of America

Cliona M Rooney