Application

Novel reagents for manufacturing of CAR T cells with improved characteristics.

Key Benefits

• A multi-cytokine backpack particle that can be used during manufacturing process of CAR T treatments to improve their phenotype and efficacy.
• Preliminary data show the method can transduce primary healthy and patient T cells and promote CAR T cell efficacy against hematological and solid tumors.
• Potential to improve many of the CAR T cell -based therapies that are FDA-approved and those being used in clinical trials.

Market Summary

Immunotherapies, including CAR T cell treatments, are a rapidly rising sector for cancer therapeutics. Several companies are developing novel candidates to help the immune system target cancer. Manufacturing of CAR T cell treatments is essential for producing these therapies and significant yearly growth is expected due to the game-changing efficacy of these products. Although these therapies significantly reduce tumor burden in many patients, manufacturing patient cells has limitations. Although many patients have initial responses, these are not sustained. Characteristics of CAR T cell products impacts efficacy and durability of response in patients. Hence, this invention can potentially increase the potency, phenotype, and quality of CAR T cell -based therapies.

Technical Summary

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies have demonstrated remarkable clinical responses in B cell leukemia/lymphoma and multiple myeloma; however, manufacturing these cells is challenging for subsequent treatment in patients. Many patients have initial responses, but the responses are not sustained. Characteristics of CAR T cell products impacts efficacy and durability of response in patients. Researchers at Emory have developed a novel process for improving the production of these life-changing therapies. The method introduces multiple immune stimulators (antibodies and cytokines) in an all-in-one reagent that stimulate T cells during CAR T cell manufacturing. The inventors have reduced the process to practice in the laboratory and showed their formulations can transduce primary healthy and diseased T cells and have characteristics of less-differentiated T cells which are associated with superior clinical responses. MCB-manufactured CAR T cells are more efficacious than traditionally manufactured CAR T cells in mouse models of lymphoma and solid tumor.

Developmental Stage

Prototype developed.