1
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Dias J, Garcia J, Agliardi G, Roddie C. CAR-T cell manufacturing landscape-Lessons from the past decade and considerations for early clinical development. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101250. [PMID: 38737799 PMCID: PMC11088187 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
CAR-T cell therapies have consolidated their position over the last decade as an effective alternative to conventional chemotherapies for the treatment of a number of hematological malignancies. With an exponential increase in the number of commercial therapies and hundreds of phase 1 trials exploring CAR-T cell efficacy in different settings (including autoimmunity and solid tumors), demand for manufacturing capabilities in recent years has considerably increased. In this review, we explore the current landscape of CAR-T cell manufacturing and discuss some of the challenges limiting production capacity worldwide. We describe the latest technical developments in GMP production platform design to facilitate the delivery of a range of increasingly complex CAR-T cell products, and the challenges associated with translation of new scientific developments into clinical products for patients. We explore all aspects of the manufacturing process, namely early development, manufacturing technology, quality control, and the requirements for industrial scaling. Finally, we discuss the challenges faced as a small academic team, responsible for the delivery of a high number of innovative products to patients. We describe our experience in the setup of an effective bench-to-clinic pipeline, with a streamlined workflow, for implementation of a diverse portfolio of phase 1 trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Dias
- Centre for Cell, Gene and Tissue Therapeutics, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, UK
- Research Department of Haematology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - John Garcia
- Centre for Cell, Gene and Tissue Therapeutics, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, UK
- Research Department of Haematology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Giulia Agliardi
- Centre for Cell, Gene and Tissue Therapeutics, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, UK
- Research Department of Haematology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Claire Roddie
- Research Department of Haematology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
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2
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Yonezawa Ogusuku IE, Herbel V, Lennartz S, Brandes C, Argiro E, Fabian C, Hauck C, Hoogstraten C, Veld S, Hageman L, Teppert K, Koutsoumpli G, Griffioen M, Mockel-Tenbrinck N, Schaser T, de Groot R, Johnston IC, Lock D. Automated manufacture of ΔNPM1 TCR-engineered T cells for AML therapy. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101224. [PMID: 38516690 PMCID: PMC10950868 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous malignancy that requires further therapeutic improvement, especially for the elderly and for subgroups with poor prognosis. A recently discovered T cell receptor (TCR) targeting mutant nucleophosmin 1 (ΔNPM1) presents an attractive option for the development of a cancer antigen-targeted cellular therapy. Manufacturing of TCR-modified T cells, however, is still limited by a complex, time-consuming, and laborious procedure. Therefore, this study specifically addressed the requirements for a scaled manufacture of ΔNPM1-specific T cells in an automated, closed, and good manufacturing practice-compliant process. Starting from cryopreserved leukapheresis, 2E8 CD8-positive T cells were enriched, activated, lentivirally transduced, expanded, and finally formulated. By adjusting and optimizing culture conditions, we additionally reduced the manufacturing time from 12 to 8 days while still achieving a clinically relevant yield of up to 5.5E9 ΔNPM1 TCR-engineered T cells. The cellular product mainly consisted of highly viable CD8-positive T cells with an early memory phenotype. ΔNPM1 TCR CD8 T cells manufactured with the optimized process showed specific killing of AML in vitro and in vivo. The process has been implemented in an upcoming phase 1/2 clinical trial for the treatment of NPM1-mutated AML.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vera Herbel
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Simon Lennartz
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | - Eva Argiro
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Caroline Fabian
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Carola Hauck
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Conny Hoogstraten
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sabrina Veld
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Lois Hageman
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Karin Teppert
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Georgia Koutsoumpli
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke Griffioen
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Thomas Schaser
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Rosa de Groot
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Dominik Lock
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
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3
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Malakhova E, Pershin D, Kulakovskaya E, Vedmedskaia V, Fadeeva M, Lodoeva O, Sozonova T, Muzalevskii Y, Kazachenok A, Belchikov V, Shelikhova L, Molostova O, Volkov D, Maschan M. Extended characterization of anti-CD19 CAR T cell products manufactured at the point of care using the CliniMACS Prodigy system: comparison of donor sources and process duration. Cytotherapy 2024; 26:567-578. [PMID: 38493403 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS The CliniMACS Prodigy closed system is widely used for the manufacturing of chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells). Our study presents an extensive immunophenotypic and functional characterization and comparison of the properties of anti-CD19 CAR-T cell products obtained during long (11 days) and short (7 days) manufacturing cycles using the CliniMACS Prodigy system, as well as cell products manufactured from different donor sources of T lymphocytes: from patients, from patients who underwent HSCT, and from haploidentical donors. We also present the possibility of assessing the efficiency of transduction by an indirect method. METHODS Seventy-six CD19 CAR-T cell products were manufactured using the CliniMACS Prodigy automated system. Immunophenotypic properties, markers of cell activation and exhaustion, antitumor, anti-CD19 specific activity in vitro of the manufactured cell products were evaluated. As an indirect method for assessing the efficiency of transduction, we used the method of functional assessment of cytokine secretion and expression of the CD107a marker after incubation of CAR-T cells with tumor targets. RESULTS The CliniMACS Prodigy platform can produce a product of CD19 CAR-T cells with sufficient cell expansion (4.6 × 109 cells-median for long process [LP] and 1.6 × 109-for short process [SP]), transduction efficiency (43.5%-median for LP and 41.0%-for SP), represented mainly by T central memory cell population, with low expression of exhaustion markers, and with high specific antitumor activity in vitro. We did not find significant differences in the properties of the products obtained during the 7- and 11-day manufacturing cycles, which is in favor of reducing the duration of production to 7 days, which may accelerate CAR-T therapy. We have shown that donor sources for CAR-T manufacturing do not significantly affect the composition and functional properties of the cell product. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the possibility of using the CliniMACS Prodigy system with a shortened 7-day production cycle to produce sufficient amount of functional CAR-T cells. CAR transduction efficiency can be measured indirectly via functional assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Malakhova
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Dmitriy Pershin
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena Kulakovskaya
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Viktoria Vedmedskaia
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mariia Fadeeva
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oyuna Lodoeva
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana Sozonova
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yakov Muzalevskii
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexei Kazachenok
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladislav Belchikov
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Larisa Shelikhova
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Molostova
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry Volkov
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Michael Maschan
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
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4
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Song HW, Benzaoui M, Dwivedi A, Underwood S, Shao L, Achar S, Posarac V, Remley VA, Prochazkova M, Cai Y, Jin P, Somerville RP, Stroncek DF, Altan-Bonnet G, Shah NN, Chien CD, Taylor N, Highfill SL. Manufacture of CD22 CAR T cells following positive versus negative selection results in distinct cytokine secretion profiles and γδ T cell output. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101171. [PMID: 38298420 PMCID: PMC10827561 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART) have demonstrated curative potential for hematological malignancies, but the optimal manufacturing has not yet been determined and may differ across products. The first step, T cell selection, removes contaminating cell types that can potentially suppress T cell expansion and transduction. While positive selection of CD4/CD8 T cells after leukapheresis is often used in clinical trials, it may modulate signaling cascades downstream of these co-receptors; indeed, the addition of a CD4/CD8-positive selection step altered CD22 CART potency and toxicity in patients. While negative selection may avoid this drawback, it is virtually absent from good manufacturing practices. Here, we performed both CD4/CD8-positive and -negative clinical scale selections of mononuclear cell apheresis products and generated CD22 CARTs per our ongoing clinical trial (NCT02315612NCT02315612). While the selection process did not yield differences in CART expansion or transduction, positively selected CART exhibited a significantly higher in vitro interferon-γ and IL-2 secretion but a lower in vitro tumor killing rate. Notably, though, CD22 CART generated from both selection protocols efficiently eradicated leukemia in NSG mice, with negatively selected cells exhibiting a significant enrichment in γδ CD22 CART. Thus, our study demonstrates the importance of the initial T cell selection process in clinical CART manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah W. Song
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mehdi Benzaoui
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Alka Dwivedi
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Underwood
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lipei Shao
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sooraj Achar
- Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, NCI, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Victoria A. Remley
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michaela Prochazkova
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yihua Cai
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ping Jin
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert P. Somerville
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David F. Stroncek
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Nirali N. Shah
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher D. Chien
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Naomi Taylor
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Steven L. Highfill
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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5
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Lock D, Monjezi R, Brandes C, Bates S, Lennartz S, Teppert K, Gehrke L, Karasakalidou-Seidt R, Lukic T, Schmeer M, Schleef M, Werchau N, Eyrich M, Assenmacher M, Kaiser A, Prommersberger S, Schaser T, Hudecek M. Automated, scaled, transposon-based production of CAR T cells. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005189. [PMID: 36096530 PMCID: PMC9472140 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is an increasing demand for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell products from patients and care givers. Here, we established an automated manufacturing process for CAR T cells on the CliniMACS Prodigy platform that is scaled to provide therapeutic doses and achieves gene-transfer with virus-free Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposition. METHODS We used an advanced CliniMACS Prodigy that is connected to an electroporator unit and performed a series of small-scale development and large-scale confirmation runs with primary human T cells. Transposition was accomplished with minicircle (MC) DNA-encoded SB100X transposase and pT2 transposon encoding a CD19 CAR. RESULTS We defined a bi-pulse electroporation shock with bi-directional and unidirectional electric field, respectively, that permitted efficient MC insertion and maintained a high frequency of viable T cells. In three large scale runs, 2E8 T cells were enriched from leukapheresis product, activated, gene-engineered and expanded to yield up to 3.5E9 total T cells/1.4E9 CAR-modified T cells within 12 days (CAR-modified T cells: 28.8%±12.3%). The resulting cell product contained highly pure T cells (97.3±1.6%) with balanced CD4/CD8 ratio and a high frequency of T cells with central memory phenotype (87.5%±10.4%). The transposon copy number was 7.0, 9.4 and 6.8 in runs #1-3, respectively, and gene analyses showed a balanced expression of activation/exhaustion markers. The CD19 CAR T cell product conferred potent anti-lymphoma reactivity in pre-clinical models. Notably, the operator hands-on-time was substantially reduced compared with conventional non-automated CAR T cell manufacturing campaigns. CONCLUSIONS We report on the first automated transposon-based manufacturing process for CAR T cells that is ready for formal validation and use in clinical manufacturing campaigns. This process and platform have the potential to facilitate access of patients to CAR T cell therapy and to accelerate scaled, multiplexed manufacturing both in the academic and industry setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Lock
- Miltenyi Biotec BV & Co KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Razieh Monjezi
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Bates
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Karin Teppert
- Miltenyi Biotec BV & Co KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Leon Gehrke
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Teodora Lukic
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Niels Werchau
- Miltenyi Biotec BV & Co KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Matthias Eyrich
- Universitätskinderklinik, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Andrew Kaiser
- Miltenyi Biotec BV & Co KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | | | - Michael Hudecek
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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6
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Silva DN, Chrobok M, Rovesti G, Healy K, Wagner AK, Maravelia P, Gatto F, Mazza M, Mazzotti L, Lohmann V, Sällberg Chen M, Sällberg M, Buggert M, Pasetto A. Process Development for Adoptive Cell Therapy in Academia: A Pipeline for Clinical-Scale Manufacturing of Multiple TCR-T Cell Products. Front Immunol 2022; 13:896242. [PMID: 35784320 PMCID: PMC9243500 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.896242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular immunotherapies based on T cell receptor (TCR) transfer are promising approaches for the treatment of cancer and chronic viral infections. The discovery of novel receptors is expanding considerably; however, the clinical development of TCR-T cell therapies still lags. Here we provide a pipeline for process development and clinical-scale manufacturing of TCR-T cells in academia. We utilized two TCRs specific for hepatitis C virus (HCV) as models because of their marked differences in avidity and functional profile in TCR-redirected cells. With our clinical-scale pipeline, we reproduced the functional profile associated with each TCR. Moreover, the two TCR-T cell products demonstrated similar yield, purity, transduction efficiency as well as phenotype. The TCR-T cell products had a highly reproducible yield of over 1.4 × 109 cells, with an average viability of 93%; 97.8–99% of cells were CD3+, of which 47.66 ± 2.02% were CD8+ T cells; the phenotype was markedly associated with central memory (CD62L+CD45RO+) for CD4+ (93.70 ± 5.23%) and CD8+ (94.26 ± 4.04%). The functional assessments in 2D and 3D cell culture assays showed that TCR-T cells mounted a polyfunctional response to the cognate HCV peptide target in tumor cell lines, including killing. Collectively, we report a solid strategy for the efficient large-scale manufacturing of TCR-T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Chrobok
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Giulia Rovesti
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Oncology, Laboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Katie Healy
- Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arnika Kathleen Wagner
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Francesca Gatto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Massimiliano Mazza
- Immunotherapy, Cell Therapy and Biobank (ITCB), IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Lucia Mazzotti
- Immunotherapy, Cell Therapy and Biobank (ITCB), IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Volker Lohmann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Matti Sällberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Buggert
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Anna Pasetto,
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7
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Glienke W, Dragon AC, Zimmermann K, Martyniszyn-Eiben A, Mertens M, Abken H, Rossig C, Altvater B, Aleksandrova K, Arseniev L, Kloth C, Stamopoulou A, Moritz T, Lode HN, Siebert N, Blasczyk R, Goudeva L, Schambach A, Köhl U, Eiz-Vesper B, Esser R. GMP-Compliant Manufacturing of TRUCKs: CAR T Cells targeting GD2 and Releasing Inducible IL-18. Front Immunol 2022; 13:839783. [PMID: 35401506 PMCID: PMC8988144 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.839783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells can be highly effective in the treatment of hematological malignancies, but mostly fail in the treatment of solid tumors. Thus, approaches using 4th advanced CAR T cells secreting immunomodulatory cytokines upon CAR signaling, known as TRUCKs (“T cells redirected for universal cytokine-mediated killing”), are currently under investigation. Based on our previous development and validation of automated and closed processing for GMP-compliant manufacturing of CAR T cells, we here present the proof of feasibility for translation of this method to TRUCKs. We generated IL-18-secreting TRUCKs targeting the tumor antigen GD2 using the CliniMACS Prodigy® system using a recently described “all-in-one” lentiviral vector combining constitutive anti-GD2 CAR expression and inducible IL-18. Starting with 0.84 x 108 and 0.91 x 108 T cells after enrichment of CD4+ and CD8+ we reached 68.3-fold and 71.4-fold T cell expansion rates, respectively, in two independent runs. Transduction efficiencies of 77.7% and 55.1% was obtained, and yields of 4.5 x 109 and 3.6 x 109 engineered T cells from the two donors, respectively, within 12 days. Preclinical characterization demonstrated antigen-specific GD2-CAR mediated activation after co-cultivation with GD2-expressing target cells. The functional capacities of the clinical-scale manufactured TRUCKs were similar to TRUCKs generated in laboratory-scale and were not impeded by cryopreservation. IL-18 TRUCKs were activated in an antigen-specific manner by co-cultivation with GD2-expressing target cells indicated by an increased expression of activation markers (e.g. CD25, CD69) on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and an enhanced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cytolytic mediators (e.g. IL-2, granzyme B, IFN-γ, perforin, TNF-α). Manufactured TRUCKs showed a specific cytotoxicity towards GD2-expressing target cells indicated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, a decrease of target cell numbers, microscopic detection of cytotoxic clusters and detachment of target cells in real-time impedance measurements (xCELLigence). Following antigen-specific CAR activation of TRUCKs, CAR-triggered release IL-18 was induced, and the cytokine was biologically active, as demonstrated in migration assays revealing specific attraction of monocytes and NK cells by supernatants of TRUCKs co-cultured with GD2-expressing target cells. In conclusion, GMP-compliant manufacturing of TRUCKs is feasible and delivers high quality T cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Glienke
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Glienke, ; Axel Schambach,
| | - Anna Christina Dragon
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Katharina Zimmermann
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexandra Martyniszyn-Eiben
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mira Mertens
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Div Genetic Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Rossig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Bianca Altvater
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Krasimira Aleksandrova
- Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lubomir Arseniev
- Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christina Kloth
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andriana Stamopoulou
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Moritz
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Holger N. Lode
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nikolai Siebert
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Rainer Blasczyk
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lilia Goudeva
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Glienke, ; Axel Schambach,
| | - Ulrike Köhl
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Britta Eiz-Vesper
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ruth Esser
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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8
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Accelerating clinical-scale production of BCMA CAR T cells with defined maturation stages. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 24:181-198. [PMID: 35118163 PMCID: PMC8791860 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The advent of CAR T cells targeting CD19 or BCMA on B cell neoplasm demonstrated remarkable efficacy, but rapid relapses and primary refractoriness remains challenging. A leading cause of CAR T cell failure is their lack of expansion and limited persistence. Long-lived, self-renewing multipotent T memory stem cells (TSCM) and T central memory cells (TCM) likely sustain superior tumor regression, but their low frequencies in blood from cancer patients impose a major hurdle for clinical CAR T production. We designed a clinically compliant protocol for generating BCMA CAR T cells starting with increased TSCM/TCM cell input. A CliniMACS Prodigy process was combined with flow cytometry-based enrichment of CD62L+CD95+ T cells. Although starting with only 15% of standard T cell input, the selected TSCM/TCM material was efficiently activated and transduced with a BCMA CAR-encoding retrovirus. Cultivation in the presence of IL-7/IL-15 enabled the harvest of CAR T cells containing an increased CD4+ TSCM fraction and 70% TSCM cells amongst CD8+. Strong cell proliferation yielded cell numbers sufficient for clinical application, while effector functions were maintained. Together, adaptation of a standard CliniMACS Prodigy protocol to low input numbers resulted in efficient retroviral transduction with a high CAR T cell yield.
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9
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Abou-El-Enein M, Elsallab M, Feldman SA, Fesnak AD, Heslop HE, Marks P, Till BG, Bauer G, Savoldo B. Scalable Manufacturing of CAR T cells for Cancer Immunotherapy. Blood Cancer Discov 2021; 2:408-422. [PMID: 34568831 PMCID: PMC8462122 DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.bcd-21-0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As of April 2021, there are five commercially available chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for hematological malignancies. With the current transition of CAR T cell manufacturing from academia to industry, there is a shift toward Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant closed and automated systems to ensure reproducibility and to meet the increased demand for cancer patients. In this review we describe current CAR T cells clinical manufacturing models and discuss emerging technological advances that embrace scaling and production optimization. We summarize measures being used to shorten CAR T-cell manufacturing times and highlight regulatory challenges to scaling production for clinical use. Statement of Significance ∣ As the demand for CAR T cell cancer therapy increases, several closed and automated production platforms are being deployed, and others are in development.This review provides a critical appraisal of these technologies that can be leveraged to scale and optimize the production of next generation CAR T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abou-El-Enein
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Joint USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Magdi Elsallab
- Joint USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven A Feldman
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Andrew D Fesnak
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Helen E Heslop
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peter Marks
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Brian G Till
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gerhard Bauer
- Institute for Regenerative Cures (IRC), University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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10
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Vucinic V, Quaiser A, Lückemeier P, Fricke S, Platzbecker U, Koehl U. Production and Application of CAR T Cells: Current and Future Role of Europe. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:713401. [PMID: 34490302 PMCID: PMC8418055 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.713401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid developments in the field of CAR T cells offer important new opportunities while at the same time increasing numbers of patients pose major challenges. This review is summarizing on the one hand the state of the art in CAR T cell trials with a unique perspective on the role that Europe is playing. On the other hand, an overview of reproducible processing techniques is presented, from manual or semi-automated up to fully automated manufacturing of clinical-grade CAR T cells. Besides regulatory requirements, an outlook is given in the direction of digitally controlled automated manufacturing in order to lower cost and complexity and to address CAR T cell products for a greater number of patients and a variety of malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladan Vucinic
- University of Leipzig, Medical Clinic for Hematology, Cell Therapy and Hemostaseology, Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andrea Quaiser
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Lückemeier
- University of Leipzig, Medical Clinic for Hematology, Cell Therapy and Hemostaseology, Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine III Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Klinikum Chemnitz gGmbH, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Uwe Platzbecker
- University of Leipzig, Medical Clinic for Hematology, Cell Therapy and Hemostaseology, Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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11
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Monzavi SM, Naderi M, Ahmadbeigi N, Kajbafzadeh AM, Muhammadnejad S. An outlook on antigen-specific adoptive immunotherapy for viral infections with a focus on COVID-19. Cell Immunol 2021; 367:104398. [PMID: 34217004 PMCID: PMC8214814 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Although not a standard-of-care yet, adoptive immunotherapeutic approaches have gradually earned a place within the list of antiviral therapies for some of fatal and hard-to-treat viral diseases. To maintain robust antiviral immunity and to effectively target the viral particles and virally-infected cells, immune cells capable of recognizing the viral antigens are required. While conventional vaccination can induce these cells in vivo; another option is to prime and generate antigen-specific immune cells ex vivo. This approach has been successfully trialed for virulent opportunistic viral infections after bone marrow transplantation. Amid the crisis of SARS-CoV2 pandemic, which has been followed by the success of certain early-authorized vaccines; some institutions and companies have explored the effects of viral-specific adoptive cell transfers (ACTs) in trials, as alternative treatments. Aimed at outlining a perspective on antigen-specific adoptive immunotherapy for viral infections, this review article specifically provides an appraisal of ACT-based studies/trials on SARS-CoV2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Mostafa Monzavi
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Naderi
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Naser Ahmadbeigi
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdol-Mohammad Kajbafzadeh
- Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Corresponding authors at: Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Children's Medical Center (A.M. Kajbafzadeh) and Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (S. Muhammadnejad)
| | - Samad Muhammadnejad
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Corresponding authors at: Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Children's Medical Center (A.M. Kajbafzadeh) and Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (S. Muhammadnejad)
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12
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Jones M, Nankervis B, Roballo KS, Pham H, Bushman J, Coeshott C. A Comparison of Automated Perfusion- and Manual Diffusion-Based Human Regulatory T Cell Expansion and Functionality Using a Soluble Activator Complex. Cell Transplant 2021; 29:963689720923578. [PMID: 32662685 PMCID: PMC7586259 DOI: 10.1177/0963689720923578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Absence or reduced frequency of human regulatory T cells (Tregs) can limit the control of inflammatory responses, autoimmunity, and the success of transplant engraftment. Clinical studies indicate that use of Tregs as immunotherapeutics would require billions of cells per dose. The Quantum® Cell Expansion System (Quantum system) is a hollow-fiber bioreactor that has previously been used to grow billions of functional T cells in a short timeframe, 8–9 d. Here we evaluated expansion of selected Tregs in the Quantum system using a soluble activator to compare the effects of automated perfusion with manual diffusion-based culture in flasks. Treg CD4+CD25+ cells from three healthy donors, isolated via column-free immunomagnetic negative/positive selection, were grown under static conditions and subsequently seeded into Quantum system bioreactors and into T225 control flasks in an identical culture volume of PRIME-XV XSFM medium with interleukin-2, for a 9-d expansion using a soluble anti-CD3/CD28/CD2 monoclonal antibody activator complex. Treg harvests from three parallel expansions produced a mean of 3.95 × 108 (range 1.92 × 108 to 5.58 × 108) Tregs in flasks (mean viability 71.3%) versus 7.00 × 109 (range 3.57 × 109 to 13.00 × 109) Tregs in the Quantum system (mean viability 91.8%), demonstrating a mean 17.7-fold increase in Treg yield for the Quantum system over that obtained in flasks. The two culture processes gave rise to cells with a memory Treg CD4+CD25+FoxP3+CD45RO+ phenotype of 93.7% for flasks versus 97.7% for the Quantum system. Tregs from the Quantum system demonstrated an 8-fold greater interleukin-10 stimulation index than cells from flask culture following restimulation. Quantum system–expanded Tregs proliferated, maintained their antigenic phenotype, and suppressed effector immune cells after cryopreservation. We conclude that an automated perfusion bioreactor can support the scale-up expansion of functional Tregs more efficiently than diffusion-based flask culture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Huong Pham
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Jared Bushman
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
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13
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Merino-Wong M, Niemeyer BA, Alansary D. Plasma Membrane Calcium ATPase Regulates Stoichiometry of CD4 + T-Cell Compartments. Front Immunol 2021; 12:687242. [PMID: 34093590 PMCID: PMC8175910 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.687242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune responses involve mobilization of T cells within naïve and memory compartments. Tightly regulated Ca2+ levels are essential for balanced immune outcomes. How Ca2+ contributes to regulating compartment stoichiometry is unknown. Here, we show that plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase 4 (PMCA4) is differentially expressed in human CD4+ T compartments yielding distinct store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) profiles. Modulation of PMCA4 yielded a more prominent increase of SOCE in memory than in naïve CD4+ T cell. Interestingly, downregulation of PMCA4 reduced the effector compartment fraction and led to accumulation of cells in the naïve compartment. In silico analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation point towards Ying Yang 1 (YY1) as a transcription factor regulating PMCA4 expression. Analyses of PMCA and YY1 expression patterns following activation and of PMCA promoter activity following downregulation of YY1 highlight repressive role of YY1 on PMCA expression. Our findings show that PMCA4 adapts Ca2+ levels to cellular requirements during effector and quiescent phases and thereby represent a potential target to intervene with the outcome of the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dalia Alansary
- Molecular Biophysics, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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14
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Hopfner F, Möhn N, Eiz-Vesper B, Maecker-Kolhoff B, Gottlieb J, Blasczyk R, Mahmoudi N, Pars K, Adams O, Stangel M, Wattjes MP, Höglinger G, Skripuletz T. Allogeneic BK Virus-Specific T-Cell Treatment in 2 Patients With Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy. NEUROLOGY(R) NEUROIMMUNOLOGY & NEUROINFLAMMATION 2021; 8:8/4/e1020. [PMID: 34001660 PMCID: PMC8130010 DOI: 10.1212/nxi.0000000000001020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Objective Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a devastating demyelinating opportunistic infection of the brain caused by the ubiquitously distributed JC polyomavirus. There are no established treatment options to stop or slow down disease progression. In 2018, a case series of 3 patients suggested the efficacy of allogeneic BK virus-specific T-cell (BKV-CTL) transplantation. Methods Two patients, a bilaterally lung transplanted patient on continuous immunosuppressive medication since 17 years and a patient with dermatomyositis treated with glucocorticosteroids, developed definite PML according to AAN diagnostic criteria. We transplanted both patients with allogeneic BKV-CTL from partially human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatible donors. Donor T cells had directly been produced from leukapheresis by the CliniMACS IFN-γ cytokine capture system. In contrast to the previous series, we identified suitable donors by HLA typing in a preexamined registry and administered 1 log level less cells. Results Both patients' symptoms improved significantly within weeks. During the follow-up, a decrease in viral load in the CSF and a regression of the brain MRI changes occurred. The transfer seemed to induce endogenous BK and JC virus-specific T cells in the host. Conclusions We demonstrate that this optimized allogeneic BKV-CTL treatment paradigm represents a promising, innovative therapeutic option for PML and should be investigated in larger, controlled clinical trials. Classification of Evidence This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with PML, allogeneic transplant of BKV-CTL improved symptoms, reduced MRI changes, and decreased viral load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hopfner
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Nora Möhn
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Britta Eiz-Vesper
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Britta Maecker-Kolhoff
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jens Gottlieb
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Rainer Blasczyk
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nima Mahmoudi
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kaweh Pars
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ortwin Adams
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Martin Stangel
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mike P Wattjes
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Günter Höglinger
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Skripuletz
- From the Department of Neurology (F.H., N. Möhn, M.S., G.H., T.S.), Hannover Medical School; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering (B.E.-V., R.B.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (B.M.-K.), Hannover Medical School; Hannover Medical School (B.M.-K.), Institute for Transfusion Medicine; Department of Respiratory Medicine (J.G.), Hannover Medical School; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (N. Mahmoudi, M.P.W.), Hannover Medical School, Hannover; Department of Neurology (N. Mahmoudi, K.P., M.P.W.), Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg; and Institute of Virology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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15
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Garcia-Aponte OF, Herwig C, Kozma B. Lymphocyte expansion in bioreactors: upgrading adoptive cell therapy. J Biol Eng 2021; 15:13. [PMID: 33849630 PMCID: PMC8042697 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-021-00264-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioreactors are essential tools for the development of efficient and high-quality cell therapy products. However, their application is far from full potential, holding several challenges when reconciling the complex biology of the cells to be expanded with the need for a manufacturing process that is able to control cell growth and functionality towards therapy affordability and opportunity. In this review, we discuss and compare current bioreactor technologies by performing a systematic analysis of the published data on automated lymphocyte expansion for adoptive cell therapy. We propose a set of requirements for bioreactor design and identify trends on the applicability of these technologies, highlighting the specific challenges and major advancements for each one of the current approaches of expansion along with the opportunities that lie in process intensification. We conclude on the necessity to develop targeted solutions specially tailored for the specific stimulation, supplementation and micro-environmental needs of lymphocytes’ cultures, and the benefit of applying knowledge-based tools for process control and predictability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Fabian Garcia-Aponte
- Research Area Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstraße 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Herwig
- Research Area Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstraße 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Bence Kozma
- Research Area Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstraße 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Britten CM, Shalabi A, Hoos A. Industrializing engineered autologous T cells as medicines for solid tumours. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 20:476-488. [PMID: 33833444 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-021-00175-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cell therapy is one of the fastest growing areas in the pharmaceutical industry, with considerable therapeutic potential. However, substantial challenges regarding the utility of these therapies will need to be addressed before they can become mainstream medicines with applicability similar to that of small molecules or monoclonal antibodies. Engineered T cells have achieved success in the treatment of blood cancers, with four chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies now approved for the treatment of B cell malignancies based on their unprecedented efficacy in clinical trials. However, similar results have not yet been achieved in the treatment of the much larger patient population with solid tumours. For cell therapies to become mainstream medicines, they may need to offer transformational clinical effects for patients and be applicable in disease settings that remain unaddressed by simpler approaches. This Perspective provides an industry perspective on the progress achieved by engineered T cell therapies to date and the opportunities and current barriers for accessing broader patient populations, and discusses the solutions and new development strategies required to fully industrialize the therapeutic potential of engineered T cells as medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedrik M Britten
- Oncology R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK.,Immatics Biotechnologies, Munich, Germany
| | - Aiman Shalabi
- Oncology R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Axel Hoos
- Oncology R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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17
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Köhl U, Abken H. [CAR T cells as drugs for novel therapies (advanced therapy medicinal products)]. Internist (Berl) 2021; 62:449-457. [PMID: 33590292 DOI: 10.1007/s00108-021-00953-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Two commercial chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell products, axicabtagene-ciloleucel (Yescarta®) and tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah®), are registered for the treatment of B cell neoplasia, for which an increased supply of CAR T cell products is required. PROBLEM The production of patient-specific CAR T cells as advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) poses considerable challenges with respect to logistics, regulation, and manufacturing. METHOD Review of the CAR T cell manufacturing process and the regulatory network, the current challenges, and future development capabilities of CAR T cells for adoptive immunotherapy. RESULTS CAR T cells are manufactured under individualized, laborious, good manufacturing practice-conforming processes in decentralized or in specialized centers. Starting from the patient's leukapheresis product, T cells are genetically engineered ex vivo with a CAR, amplified, and after extensive quality control re-applied to the patient. Most CAR T cell products are manufactured in a manual or semi-automated process; fully automated, supervised, and closed systems are increasingly applied to meet the need for a growing number of CAR T cell products. In this setting, research aims at providing allogeneic CAR T cell products or non-T cells such as natural killer cells for broad applications. CONCLUSION The significance of CAR T cells in adoptive immunotherapy is continuously growing. As individualized cell products, manufacturing requires highly efficient processes under the control of harmonized protocols and regulations so as to ensure the quality of the ATMP in view of increasing demand and to develop new fields in therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Köhl
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie (IZI), Leipzig, Deutschland.,Institut für Klinische Immunologie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland.,Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Deutschland
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Regensburger Centrum für Interventionelle Immunologie (RCI), Abteilung für Gen-Immuntherapie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Deutschland.
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18
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Xu X, Huang S, Xiao X, Sun Q, Liang X, Chen S, Zhao Z, Huo Z, Tu S, Li Y. Challenges and Clinical Strategies of CAR T-Cell Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Overview and Developments. Front Immunol 2021; 11:569117. [PMID: 33643279 PMCID: PMC7902522 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.569117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy exhibits desirable and robust efficacy in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Stimulated by the revolutionized progress in the use of FDA-approved CD19 CAR T cells, novel agents with CAR designs and targets are being produced in pursuit of superior performance. However, on the path from bench to bedside, new challenges emerge. Accessibility is considered the initial barrier to the transformation of this patient-specific product into a commercially available product. To ensure infusion safety, profound comprehension of adverse events and proactive intervention are required. Additionally, resistance and relapse are the most critical and intractable issues in CAR T-cell therapy for ALL, thus precluding its further development. Understanding the limitations through up-to-date insights and characterizing multiple strategies will be critical to leverage CAR T-cell therapy flexibly for use in clinical situations. Herein, we provide an overview of the application of CAR T-cell therapy in ALL, emphasizing the main challenges and potential clinical strategies in an effort to promote a standardized set of treatment paradigms for ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjie Xu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shengkang Huang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyi Xiao
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qihang Sun
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqian Liang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sifei Chen
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zijing Zhao
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaochang Huo
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sanfang Tu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Caldwell KJ, Gottschalk S, Talleur AC. Allogeneic CAR Cell Therapy-More Than a Pipe Dream. Front Immunol 2021; 11:618427. [PMID: 33488631 PMCID: PMC7821739 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.618427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cellular immunotherapy using immune cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has shown promise, particularly for the treatment of hematological malignancies. To date, the majority of clinically evaluated CAR cell products have been derived from autologous immune cells. While this strategy can be effective it also imposes several constraints regarding logistics. This includes i) availability of center to perform leukapheresis, ii) necessity for shipment to and from processing centers, and iii) time requirements for product manufacture and clinical release testing. In addition, previous cytotoxic therapies can negatively impact the effector function of autologous immune cells, which may then affect efficacy and/or durability of resultant CAR products. The use of allogeneic CAR cell products generated using cells from healthy donors has the potential to overcome many of these limitations, including through generation of “off the shelf” products. However, allogeneic CAR cell products come with their own challenges, including potential to induce graft-versus-host-disease, as well as risk of immune-mediated rejection by the host. Here we will review promises and challenges of allogeneic CAR immunotherapies, including those being investigated in preclinical models and/or early phase clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth J Caldwell
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Aimee C Talleur
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
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20
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Schwarze LI, Sonntag T, Wild S, Schmitz S, Uhde A, Fehse B. Automated production of CCR5-negative CD4 +-T cells in a GMP-compatible, clinical scale for treatment of HIV-positive patients. Gene Ther 2021; 28:572-587. [PMID: 33867524 PMCID: PMC8455337 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-021-00259-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Ex-vivo gene editing in T lymphocytes paves the way for novel concepts of immunotherapy. One of those strategies is directed at the protection of CD4+-T helper cells from HIV infection in HIV-positive individuals. To this end, we have developed and optimised a CCR5-targeting TALE nuclease, CCR5-Uco-hetTALEN, mediating high-efficiency knockout of C-C motif chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), the HIV co-receptor essential during initial infection. Clinical translation of the knockout approach requires up-scaling of the manufacturing process to clinically relevant cell numbers in accordance with good manufacturing practice (GMP). Here we present a GMP-compatible mRNA electroporation protocol for the automated production of CCR5-edited CD4+-T cells in the closed CliniMACS Prodigy system. The automated process reliably produced high amounts of CCR5-edited CD4+-T cells (>1.5 × 109 cells with >60% CCR5 editing) within 12 days. Of note, about 40% of total large-scale produced cells showed a biallelic CCR5 editing, and between 25 and 42% of produced cells had a central memory T-cell phenotype. In conclusion, transfection of primary T cells with CCR5-Uco-hetTALEN mRNA is readily scalable for GMP-compatible production and hence suitable for application in HIV gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Isabell Schwarze
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany ,grid.452463.2German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Sonntag
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Wild
- grid.59409.310000 0004 0552 5033Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schmitz
- grid.59409.310000 0004 0552 5033Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Almut Uhde
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Boris Fehse
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany ,grid.452463.2German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site, Hamburg, Germany
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21
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Automated generation of gene-edited CAR T cells at clinical scale. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 20:379-388. [PMID: 33575430 PMCID: PMC7848723 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The potential of adoptive cell therapy can be extended when combined with genome editing. However, variation in the quality of the starting material and the different manufacturing steps are associated with production failure and product contamination. Here, we present an automated T cell engineering process to produce off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells on an extended CliniMACS Prodigy platform containing an in-line electroporation unit. This setup was used to combine lentiviral delivery of a CD19-targeting CAR with transfer of mRNA encoding a TRAC locus-targeting transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN). In three runs at clinical scale, the T cell receptor (TCR) alpha chain encoding TRAC locus was disrupted in >35% of cells with high cell viability (>90%) and no detectable off-target activity. A final negative selection step allowed the generation of TCRα/β-free CAR T cells with >99.5% purity. These CAR T cells proliferated well, maintained a T cell memory phenotype, eliminated CD19-positive tumor cells, and released the expected cytokines when exposed to B cell leukemia cells. In conclusion, we established an automated, good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant process that integrates lentiviral transduction with electroporation of TALEN mRNA to produce functional TCRα/β-free CAR19 T cells at clinical scale.
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22
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Jackson Z, Roe A, Sharma AA, Lopes FBTP, Talla A, Kleinsorge-Block S, Zamborsky K, Schiavone J, Manjappa S, Schauner R, Lee G, Liu R, Caimi PF, Xiong Y, Krueger W, Worden A, Kadan M, Schneider D, Orentas R, Dropulic B, Sekaly RP, de Lima M, Wald DN, Reese JS. Automated Manufacture of Autologous CD19 CAR-T Cells for Treatment of Non-hodgkin Lymphoma. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1941. [PMID: 32849651 PMCID: PMC7427107 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cell) targeting CD19 are effective against several subtypes of CD19-expressing hematologic malignancies. Centralized manufacturing has allowed rapid expansion of this cellular therapy, but it may be associated with treatment delays due to the required logistics. We hypothesized that point of care manufacturing of CAR-T cells on the automated CliniMACS Prodigy® device allows reproducible and fast delivery of cells for the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Here we describe cell manufacturing results and characterize the phenotype and effector function of CAR-T cells used in a phase I/II study. We utilized a lentiviral vector delivering a second-generation CD19 CAR construct with 4-1BB costimulatory domain and TNFRSF19 transmembrane domain. Our data highlight the successful generation of CAR-T cells at numbers sufficient for all patients treated, a shortened duration of production from 12 to 8 days followed by fresh infusion into patients, and the detection of CAR-T cells in patient circulation up to 1-year post-infusion.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD19/genetics
- Antigens, CD19/immunology
- Antigens, CD19/metabolism
- Automation
- Cell Culture Techniques
- Cell Engineering
- Cells, Cultured
- Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic
- Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/immunology
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/metabolism
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/therapy
- Mice, Inbred NOD
- Phenotype
- Point-of-Care Systems
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/transplantation
- Transplantation, Autologous
- Treatment Outcome
- Workload
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Jackson
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Anne Roe
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | | | | | - Aarthi Talla
- The Alan Turing Institute, British Library, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Kleinsorge-Block
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Kayla Zamborsky
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Jennifer Schiavone
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Shivaprasad Manjappa
- Department of Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Robert Schauner
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Grace Lee
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Ruifu Liu
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Paolo F. Caimi
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Department of Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Ying Xiong
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Winfried Krueger
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Andrew Worden
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Mike Kadan
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Dina Schneider
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Rimas Orentas
- Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Boro Dropulic
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Rafick-Pierre Sekaly
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Marcos de Lima
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Department of Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - David N. Wald
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Jane S. Reese
- Stem Cell Transplantation Program, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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23
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Castella M, Caballero-Baños M, Ortiz-Maldonado V, González-Navarro EA, Suñé G, Antoñana-Vidósola A, Boronat A, Marzal B, Millán L, Martín-Antonio B, Cid J, Lozano M, García E, Tabera J, Trias E, Perpiña U, Canals JM, Baumann T, Benítez-Ribas D, Campo E, Yagüe J, Urbano-Ispizua Á, Rives S, Delgado J, Juan M. Point-Of-Care CAR T-Cell Production (ARI-0001) Using a Closed Semi-automatic Bioreactor: Experience From an Academic Phase I Clinical Trial. Front Immunol 2020; 11:482. [PMID: 32528460 PMCID: PMC7259426 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of semi-automated devices that can reduce the hands-on time and standardize the production of clinical-grade CAR T-cells, such as CliniMACS Prodigy from Miltenyi, is key to facilitate the development of CAR T-cell therapies, especially in academic institutions. However, the feasibility of manufacturing CAR T-cell products from heavily pre-treated patients with this system has not been demonstrated yet. Here we report and characterize the production of 28 CAR T-cell products in the context of a phase I clinical trial for CD19+ B-cell malignancies (NCT03144583). The system includes CD4-CD8 cell selection, lentiviral transduction and T-cell expansion using IL-7/IL-15. Twenty-seven out of 28 CAR T-cell products manufactured met the full list of specifications and were considered valid products. Ex vivo cell expansion lasted an average of 8.5 days and had a mean transduction rate of 30.6 ± 13.44%. All products obtained presented cytotoxic activity against CD19+ cells and were proficient in the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Expansion kinetics was slower in patient's cells compared to healthy donor's cells. However, product potency was comparable. CAR T-cell subset phenotype was highly variable among patients and largely determined by the initial product. TCM and TEM were the predominant T-cell phenotypes obtained. 38.7% of CAR T-cells obtained presented a TN or TCM phenotype, in average, which are the subsets capable of establishing a long-lasting T-cell memory in patients. An in-depth analysis to identify individual factors contributing to the optimal T-cell phenotype revealed that ex vivo cell expansion leads to reduced numbers of TN, TSCM, and TEFF cells, while TCM cells increase, both due to cell expansion and CAR-expression. Overall, our results show for the first time that clinical-grade production of CAR T-cells for heavily pre-treated patients using CliniMACS Prodigy system is feasible, and that the obtained products meet the current quality standards of the field. Reduced ex vivo expansion may yield CAR T-cell products with increased persistence in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Castella
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Caballero-Baños
- Department of Immunology, Centro de Diagnóstico Biomédico, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valentín Ortiz-Maldonado
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Guillermo Suñé
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Asier Antoñana-Vidósola
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Boronat
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Immunology, Centro de Diagnóstico Biomédico, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Marzal
- Department of Immunology, Centro de Diagnóstico Biomédico, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucía Millán
- Department of Immunology, Centro de Diagnóstico Biomédico, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Beatriz Martín-Antonio
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Cid
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Hemotherapy and Hemostasis, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miquel Lozano
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Hemotherapy and Hemostasis, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enric García
- Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), Barcelona, Spain.,Apheresis Unit, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Tabera
- Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), Barcelona, Spain.,Unit of Advanced Therapies, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esteve Trias
- Unit of Advanced Therapies, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Unai Perpiña
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies (Creatio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Ma Canals
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies (Creatio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tycho Baumann
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Benítez-Ribas
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Immunology, Centro de Diagnóstico Biomédico, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elías Campo
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomedical en Red de Cancer, Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Yagüe
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Immunology, Centro de Diagnóstico Biomédico, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Álvaro Urbano-Ispizua
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Immunotherapy Unit Blood and Tissue Bank-Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana Rives
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Delgado
- Department of Hematology, Institut Clínic de Malalties Hematològiques i Oncològiques, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomedical en Red de Cancer, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manel Juan
- Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Immunology, Centro de Diagnóstico Biomédico, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Immunotherapy Unit Blood and Tissue Bank-Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Monocytes reprogrammed with lentiviral vectors co-expressing GM-CSF, IFN-α2 and antigens for personalized immune therapy of acute leukemia pre- or post-stem cell transplantation. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2019; 68:1891-1899. [PMID: 31628525 PMCID: PMC6851032 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02406-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults and overall survival remains poor. Chemotherapy is the standard of care for intensive induction therapy. Patients who achieve a complete remission require post-remission therapies to prevent relapse. There is no standard of care for patients with minimal residual disease (MRD), and stem cell transplantation is a salvage therapy. Considering the AML genetic heterogeneity and the leukemia immune-suppressive properties, novel cellular immune therapies to effectively harness immunological responses to prevent relapse are needed. We developed a novel modality of immune therapy consisting of monocytes reprogrammed with lentiviral vectors expressing GM-CSF, IFN-α and antigens. Preclinical studies in humanized mice showed that the reprogrammed monocytes self-differentiated into highly viable induced dendritic cells (iDCs) in vivo which migrated effectively to lymph nodes, producing remarkable effects in the de novo regeneration of T and B cell responses. For the first-in-man clinical trial, the patient’s monocytes will be transduced with an integrase-defective tricistronic lentiviral vector expressing GM-CSF, IFN-α and a truncated WT1 antigen. For transplanted patients, pre-clinical development of iDCs co-expressing cytomegalovirus antigens is ongoing. To simplify the product chain for a de-centralized supply model, we are currently exploring a closed automated system for a short two-day manufacturing of iDCs. A phase I clinical trial study is in preparation for immune therapy of AML patients with MRD. The proposed cell therapy can fill an important gap in the current and foreseeable future immunotherapies of AML.
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Human Platelet Lysate Media Supplement Supports Lentiviral Transduction and Expansion of Human T Lymphocytes While Maintaining Memory Phenotype. J Immunol Res 2019; 2019:3616120. [PMID: 31565660 PMCID: PMC6746159 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3616120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach to treat malignancies that were up until recently only treated on a palliative basis. Chimeric antigen receptor- (CAR-) modified T lymphocytes (T cells) in particular have proven to be very effective for certain hematological malignancies. The production of CAR T cells usually involves viral transduction and ex vivo culture of T cells. The aim of this study was to explore the use of human platelet lysate (HPL) compared to two commonly used supplements, human AB serum (ABS) and fetal bovine serum (FBS), for modified T cell production. For studying transduction, activated T cells were transduced with lentivirus to deliver GFP transgenes with three different promoters. Transduction efficiency (percent GFP) was similar among the supplements, and a modest increase in the transgene product (mean fluorescence intensity) was observed when HPL was used as a supplement compared to ABS. To study the effect of supplements on expansion, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were activated and expanded in the presence of interleukin 2 (IL2) for fourteen days. T cell expansions using HPL and ABS were comparable and slightly less than the expansion obtained with FBS. Interestingly, cells expanded in media supplemented with HPL showed a higher percentage of T cells with a central memory phenotype compared to those expanded in ABS or FBS. Protein profiling revealed that the phenotypic differences may be explained by elevated levels of several cytokines in HPL, including IL7. The results suggest that the use of HPL as a cell culture supplement during the production of modified T cells is a reasonable alternative to ABS. Furthermore, the use of HPL may enhance in vivo performance of the final product by enriching for central memory T cells that are associated with long-term persistence following adoptive transfer.
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Coeshott C, Vang B, Jones M, Nankervis B. Large-scale expansion and characterization of CD3 + T-cells in the Quantum ® Cell Expansion System. J Transl Med 2019; 17:258. [PMID: 31391068 PMCID: PMC6686483 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-2001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The rapid evolution of cell-based immunotherapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cells for treatment of hematological cancers has precipitated the need for a platform to expand these cells ex vivo in a safe, efficient, and reproducible manner. In the Quantum® Cell Expansion System (Quantum system) we evaluated the expansion of T-cells from healthy donors in a functionally-closed environment that reduces time and resources needed to produce a therapeutic dose. Methods Mononuclear cells from leukapheresis products from 5 healthy donors were activated with anti-CD3/CD28 Dynabeads® and expanded in the Quantum system for 8–9 days using xeno-free, serum-free medium and IL-2. Harvested cells were phenotyped by flow cytometry and evaluated for cytokine secretion by multiplex assays. Results From starting products of 30 or 85 × 106 mononuclear cells, CD3+ T-cell populations expanded over 500-fold following stimulation to provide yields up to 25 × 109 cells within 8 days. T-cell yields from all donors were similar in terms of harvest numbers, viability and doubling times. Functionality (secretion of IFN-γ, IL-2 and TNF-α) was retained in harvested T-cells upon restimulation in vitro and T-cells displayed therapeutically-relevant less-differentiated phenotypes of naïve and central memory T-cells, with low expression of exhaustion markers LAG-3 and PD-1. Conclusions The Quantum system has been successfully used to produce large quantities of functional T-cells at clinical dosing scale and within a short timeframe. This platform could have wide applicability for autologous and allogeneic cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-019-2001-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Coeshott
- Terumo BCT, Inc., 10810 West Collins Avenue, Lakewood, CO, 80215, USA.
| | - Boah Vang
- Terumo BCT, Inc., 10810 West Collins Avenue, Lakewood, CO, 80215, USA
| | - Mark Jones
- Terumo BCT, Inc., 10810 West Collins Avenue, Lakewood, CO, 80215, USA
| | - Brian Nankervis
- Terumo BCT, Inc., 10810 West Collins Avenue, Lakewood, CO, 80215, USA
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27
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Aleksandrova K, Leise J, Priesner C, Melk A, Kubaink F, Abken H, Hombach A, Aktas M, Essl M, Bürger I, Kaiser A, Rauser G, Jurk M, Goudeva L, Glienke W, Arseniev L, Esser R, Köhl U. Functionality and Cell Senescence of CD4/ CD8-Selected CD20 CAR T Cells Manufactured Using the Automated CliniMACS Prodigy® Platform. Transfus Med Hemother 2019; 46:47-54. [PMID: 31244581 DOI: 10.1159/000495772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies using autologous CAR T cells have achieved spectacular remissions in refractory CD19+ B cell leukaemia, however some of the patient treatments with CAR T cells failed. Beside the heterogeneity of leukaemia, the distribution and senescence of the autologous cells from heavily pretreated patients might be further reasons for this. We performed six consecutive large-scale manufacturing processes for CD20 CAR T cells from healthy donor leukapheresis using the automated CliniMACS Prodigy® platform. Starting with a CD4/CD8-positive selection, a high purity of a median of 97% T cells with a median 65-fold cell expansion was achieved. Interestingly, the transduction rate was significantly higher for CD4+ compared to CD8+ T cells and reached in a median of 23%. CD20 CAR T cells showed a good specific IFN-γ secretion after cocultivation with CD20+ target cells which correlated with good cytotoxic activity. Most importantly, 3 out of 5 CAR T cell products showed an increase in telomere length during the manufacturing process, while telomere length remained consistent in one and decreased in another process. In conclusion, this shows for the first time that beside heterogeneity among healthy donors, CAR T cell products also differ regarding cell senescence, even for cells manufactured in a standardised automated process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krasimira Aleksandrova
- Cellular Therapy Centre, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Jana Leise
- Cellular Therapy Centre, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Christoph Priesner
- Cellular Therapy Centre, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Anette Melk
- Clinic for Paediatric Nephrology, Hepatology and Metabolic Disorders, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Fanni Kubaink
- Clinic for Paediatric Nephrology, Hepatology and Metabolic Disorders, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, and Dept I Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,RCI, Chair Gene-Immunotherapy, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Hombach
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, and Dept I Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Murat Aktas
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Mike Essl
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Iris Bürger
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | - Georg Rauser
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Marion Jurk
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Lilia Goudeva
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Glienke
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Lubomir Arseniev
- Cellular Therapy Centre, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Ruth Esser
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Köhl
- Cellular Therapy Centre, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany.,ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hanover, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
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28
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Roddie C, O'Reilly M, Dias Alves Pinto J, Vispute K, Lowdell M. Manufacturing chimeric antigen receptor T cells: issues and challenges. Cytotherapy 2019; 21:327-340. [PMID: 30685216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Clinical trials of adoptively transferred CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have delivered unprecedented responses in patients with relapsed refractory B-cell malignancy. These results have prompted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of two CAR T-cell products in this high-risk patient population. The widening range of indications for CAR T-cell therapy and increasing patient numbers present a significant logistical challenge to manufacturers aiming for reproducible delivery systems for high-quality clinical CAR T-cell products. This review discusses current and novel CAR T-cell processing methodologies and the quality control systems needed to meet the increasing clinical demand for these exciting new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Roddie
- Research Department of Haematology, University College London, London, UK; Department of Haematology, University College London Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London.
| | - Maeve O'Reilly
- Research Department of Haematology, University College London, London, UK; Department of Haematology, University College London Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London
| | | | - Ketki Vispute
- Research Department of Haematology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Lowdell
- Research Department of Haematology, University College London, London, UK
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Morgan MA, Schambach A. Engineering CAR-T Cells for Improved Function Against Solid Tumors. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2493. [PMID: 30420856 PMCID: PMC6217729 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic engineering T cells to create clinically applied chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has led to improved patient outcomes for some forms of hematopoietic malignancies. While this has inspired the biomedical community to develop similar strategies to treat solid tumor patients, challenges such as the immunosuppressive character of the tumor microenvironment, CAR-T cell persistence and trafficking to the tumor seem to limit CAR-T cell efficacy in solid cancers. This review provides an overview of mechanisms that tumors exploit to evade eradication by CAR-T cells as well as emerging approaches that incorporate genetic engineering technologies to improve CAR-T cell activity against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Morgan
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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30
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Erdmann M, Uslu U, Wiesinger M, Brüning M, Altmann T, Strasser E, Schuler G, Schuler-Thurner B. Automated closed-system manufacturing of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells for cancer immunotherapy. J Immunol Methods 2018; 463:89-96. [PMID: 30266448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2018.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines have been successfully used for immunotherapy of cancer and infections. A major obstacle is the need for high-level class A cleanroom cGMP facilities for DC generation. The CliniMACS Prodigy® (Prodigy) represents a new platform integrating all GMP-compliant manufacturing steps in a closed system for automated production of various cellular products, notably T cells, NK cells and CD34+ cells. We now systematically tested its suitability for producing human mature monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs), and optimized it by directly comparing the Prodigy approach to our established standard production of Mo-DCs from elutriated monocytes in dishes or bags. Upon step-by-step identification of an optimal cell concentration for the Prodigy's CentriCult culture chamber, the total yield (% of input CD14+ monocytes), phenotype, and functionality of mature Mo-DCs were equivalent to those generated by the standard protocol. Technician's labor time was comparable for both methods, but the Prodigy approach significantly reduced hands-on time and high-level clean room resources. In summary, using our optimized conditions for the CliniMACS Prodigy, human Mo-DCs for clinical application can be generated almost automatically in a fully closed system. A significant drawback of the Prodigy approach was, however, that due to the limited size of the CentriCult culture chamber, in contrast to our standard semi-closed elutriation approach, only one fourth of an apheresis could be processed at once.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Erdmann
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Department of Dermatology, Germany.
| | - Ugur Uslu
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Department of Dermatology, Germany
| | - Manuel Wiesinger
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Department of Dermatology, Germany
| | | | | | - Erwin Strasser
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Department of Transfusion Medicine and Haemostaseology, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gerold Schuler
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Department of Dermatology, Germany
| | - Beatrice Schuler-Thurner
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Department of Dermatology, Germany
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31
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Lock D, Mockel-Tenbrinck N, Drechsel K, Barth C, Mauer D, Schaser T, Kolbe C, Al Rawashdeh W, Brauner J, Hardt O, Pflug N, Holtick U, Borchmann P, Assenmacher M, Kaiser A. Automated Manufacturing of Potent CD20-Directed Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells for Clinical Use. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 28:914-925. [PMID: 28847167 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical success of gene-engineered T cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), as manifested in several clinical trials for the treatment of B cell malignancies, warrants the development of a simple and robust manufacturing procedure capable of reducing to a minimum the challenges associated with its complexity. Conventional protocols comprise many open handling steps, are labor intensive, and are difficult to upscale for large numbers of patients. Furthermore, extensive training of personnel is required to avoid operator variations. An automated current Good Manufacturing Practice-compliant process has therefore been developed for the generation of gene-engineered T cells. Upon installation of the closed, single-use tubing set on the CliniMACS Prodigy™, sterile welding of the starting cell product, and sterile connection of the required reagents, T cells are magnetically enriched, stimulated, transduced using lentiviral vectors, expanded, and formulated. Starting from healthy donor (HD) or lymphoma or melanoma patient material (PM), the robustness and reproducibility of the manufacturing of anti-CD20 specific CAR T cells were verified. Independent of the starting material, operator, or device, the process consistently yielded a therapeutic dose of highly viable CAR T cells. Interestingly, the formulated product obtained with PM was comparable to that of HD with respect to cell composition, phenotype, and function, even though the starting material differed significantly. Potent antitumor reactivity of the produced anti-CD20 CAR T cells was shown in vitro as well as in vivo. In summary, the automated T cell transduction process meets the requirements for clinical manufacturing that the authors intend to use in two separate clinical trials for the treatment of melanoma and B cell lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Lock
- 1 Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | | | - Carola Barth
- 1 Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Olaf Hardt
- 1 Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Natali Pflug
- 2 Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne , Cologne, Germany
| | - Udo Holtick
- 2 Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne , Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Borchmann
- 2 Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne , Cologne, Germany
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Hartmann J, Schüßler-Lenz M, Bondanza A, Buchholz CJ. Clinical development of CAR T cells-challenges and opportunities in translating innovative treatment concepts. EMBO Mol Med 2018; 9:1183-1197. [PMID: 28765140 PMCID: PMC5582407 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201607485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 314] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, together with checkpoint inhibition, has been celebrated as a breakthrough technology due to the substantial benefit observed in clinical trials with patients suffering from relapsed or refractory B‐cell malignancies. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical trials performed so far worldwide and analyze parameters such as targeted antigen and indication, CAR molecular design, CAR T cell manufacturing, anti‐tumor activities, and related toxicities. More than 200 CAR T cell clinical trials have been initiated so far, most of which aim to treat lymphoma or leukemia patients using CD19‐specific CARs. An increasing number of studies address solid tumors as well. Notably, not all clinical trials conducted so far have shown promising results. Indeed, in a few patients CAR T cell therapy resulted in severe adverse events with fatal outcome. Of note, less than 10% of the ongoing CAR T cell clinical trials are performed in Europe. Taking lead from our analysis, we discuss the problems and general hurdles preventing efficient clinical development of CAR T cells as well as opportunities, with a special focus on the European stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Hartmann
- Molecular Biotechnology and Gene Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Martina Schüßler-Lenz
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Attilio Bondanza
- Innovative immunotherapies, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Christian J Buchholz
- Molecular Biotechnology and Gene Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
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33
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Alnabhan R, Gaballa A, Mörk LM, Mattsson J, Uhlin M, Magalhaes I. Media evaluation for production and expansion of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Cytotherapy 2018; 20:941-951. [PMID: 29859774 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to treat B-cell malignancies has proven beneficial. Several groups use serum to produce CD19 CAR T cells. Today, ready-to-use serum-free media that require no addition of serum are commercially available. Therefore, it becomes important to evaluate the production of CD19 CAR T cells with and without the addition of serum. METHODS T cells from buffy coats were cultured in AIM-V and TexMACS (TM) supplemented with 5% human serum (A5% and TM5%, respectively), and in TM without serum. Cells were activated with OKT3 and expanded in interleukin (IL)-2. Viral transduction was performed in RetroNectin-coated plates using the spinoculation method. CD19 CAR T cells were tested for their viability, expansion, transduction efficacy, phenotype and cytotoxicity. RESULTS CD19 CAR T cells expanded in A5% and TM5% showed significantly better viability and higher fold expansion than cells expanded in TM. TM promoted the expansion of CD8+ T cells and effector phenotype of CD19 CAR T cells. The transduction efficacy and the cytotoxic function were comparable between the different media. Higher CD107a+ cells were detected in TM and TM5%, whereas higher IL-2+ and IL-17+ cells were detected in A5%. CD19 CAR exhibited co-expression of inhibitory receptors such as TIM-3+LAG-3+ and/or TIM-3+PD-1+. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that serum supplementation promotes better CD19 CAR T-cell expansion and viability in vitro. CD19 CAR T cells produced in TM medium showed lower CD4/CD8 ratio, which warrants further evaluation in clinical settings. Overall, the choice of culture medium impacts CD19 CAR T-cell end product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rehab Alnabhan
- Division of Surgery, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Gaballa
- Division of Surgery, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lisa-Mari Mörk
- Division of Surgery, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Mattsson
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Uhlin
- Division of Surgery, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Isabelle Magalhaes
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Iyer RK, Bowles PA, Kim H, Dulgar-Tulloch A. Industrializing Autologous Adoptive Immunotherapies: Manufacturing Advances and Challenges. Front Med (Lausanne) 2018; 5:150. [PMID: 29876351 PMCID: PMC5974219 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2018.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapy has proven to be a burgeoning field of investigation, evidenced by hundreds of clinical trials being conducted worldwide across a variety of cell types and indications. Many cell therapies have been shown to be efficacious in humans, such as modified T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Adoptive immunotherapy has shown the most promise in recent years, with particular emphasis on autologous cell sources. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-based T-cell therapy targeting CD19-expressing B-cell leukemias has shown remarkable efficacy and reproducibility in numerous clinical trials. Recent marketing approval of Novartis' Kymriah™ (tisagenlecleucel) and Gilead/Kite's Yescarta™ (axicabtagene ciloleucel) by the FDA further underscores both the promise and legwork to be done if manufacturing processes are to become widely accessible. Further work is needed to standardize, automate, close, and scale production to bring down costs and democratize these and other cell therapies. Given the multiple processing steps involved, commercial-scale manufacturing of these therapies necessitates tighter control over process parameters. This focused review highlights some of the most recent advances used in the manufacturing of therapeutic immune cells, with a focus on T-cells. We summarize key unit operations and pain points around current manufacturing solutions. We also review emerging technologies, approaches and reagents used in cell isolation, activation, transduction, expansion, in-process analytics, harvest, cryopreservation and thaw, and conclude with a forward-look at future directions in the manufacture of adoptive immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohin K Iyer
- Centre for Advanced Therapeutic Cell Technologies, Toronto, ON, Canada.,General Electric Healthcare, Cell and Gene Therapy, Marlborough, MA, United States
| | - Paul A Bowles
- Centre for Advanced Therapeutic Cell Technologies, Toronto, ON, Canada.,General Electric Healthcare, Cell and Gene Therapy, Marlborough, MA, United States
| | - Howard Kim
- Centre for Advanced Therapeutic Cell Technologies, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aaron Dulgar-Tulloch
- Centre for Advanced Therapeutic Cell Technologies, Toronto, ON, Canada.,General Electric Healthcare, Cell and Gene Therapy, Marlborough, MA, United States
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Abstract
Bioreactors have become indispensable tools in the cell-based therapy industry. Various forms of bioreactors are used to maintain well-controlled microenvironments to regulate cell growth, differentiation, and tissue development. They are essential for providing standardized, reproducible cell-based products for regenerative medicine applications or to establish physiologically relevant
in vitro models for testing of pharmacologic agents. In this review, we discuss three main classes of bioreactors: cell expansion bioreactors, tissue engineering bioreactors, and lab-on-a-chip systems. We briefly examine the factors driving concerted research endeavors in each of these areas and describe the major advancements that have been reported in the last three years. Emerging issues that impact the commercialization and clinical use of bioreactors include (i) the need to scale up to greater cell quantities and larger graft sizes, (ii) simplification of
in vivo systems to function without exogenous stem cells or growth factors or both, and (iii) increased control in the manufacture and monitoring of miniaturized systems to better capture complex tissue and organ physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makeda Stephenson
- Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Warren Grayson
- Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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36
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Köhl U, Arsenieva S, Holzinger A, Abken H. CAR T Cells in Trials: Recent Achievements and Challenges that Remain in the Production of Modified T Cells for Clinical Applications. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 29:559-568. [PMID: 29620951 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells is attracting growing interest for the treatment of malignant diseases. Early trials with anti-CD19 CAR T cells have achieved spectacular remissions in B-cell leukemia and lymphoma, so far refractory, very recently resulting in the Food and Drug Administration approval of CD19 CAR T cells for therapy. With further applications and increasing numbers of patients, the reproducible manufacture of high-quality clinical-grade CAR T cells is becoming an ever greater challenge. New processing techniques, quality-control mechanisms, and logistic developments are required to meet both medical needs and regulatory restrictions. This paper summarizes the state-of-the-art in manufacturing CAR T cells and the current challenges that need to be overcome to implement this type of cell therapy in the treatment of a variety of malignant diseases and in a greater number of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Köhl
- 1 Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,2 Institute of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Leipzig , Leipzig, Germany.,3 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology , Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stanislava Arsenieva
- 1 Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,2 Institute of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Leipzig , Leipzig, Germany.,3 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology , Leipzig, Germany
| | - Astrid Holzinger
- 4 Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne , Cologne, Germany.,5 Department I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne , Cologne, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- 4 Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne , Cologne, Germany.,5 Department I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne , Cologne, Germany
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Zhu F, Shah N, Xu H, Schneider D, Orentas R, Dropulic B, Hari P, Keever-Taylor CA. Closed-system manufacturing of CD19 and dual-targeted CD20/19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells using the CliniMACS Prodigy device at an academic medical center. Cytotherapy 2017; 20:394-406. [PMID: 29287970 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Multiple steps are required to produce chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, involving subset enrichment or depletion, activation, gene transduction and expansion. Open processing steps that increase risk of contamination and production failure are required. This complex process requires skilled personnel and costly clean-room facilities and infrastructure. Simplified, reproducible CAR-T-cell manufacturing with reduced labor intensity within a closed-system is highly desirable for increased availability for patients. METHODS The CliniMACS Prodigy with TCT process software and the TS520 tubing set that allows closed-system processing for cell enrichment, transduction, washing and expansion was used. We used MACS-CD4 and CD8-MicroBeads for enrichment, TransAct CD3/CD28 reagent for activation, lentiviral CD8 TM-41BB-CD3 ζ-cfrag vectors expressing scFv for CD19 or CD20/CD19 antigens for transduction, TexMACS medium-3%-HS-IL2 for culture and phosphate-buffered saline/ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid buffer for washing. Processing time was 13 days. RESULTS Enrichment (N = 7) resulted in CD4/CD8 purity of 98 ± 4.0%, 55 ± 6% recovery and CD3+ T-cell purity of 89 ± 10%. Vectors at multiplicity of infection 5-10 resulted in transduction averaging 37%. An average 30-fold expansion of 108 CD4/CD8-enriched cells resulted in sufficient transduced T cells for clinical use. CAR-T cells were 82-100% CD3+ with a mix of CD4+ and CD8+ cells that primarily expressed an effector-memory or central-memory phenotype. Functional testing demonstrated recognition of B-cells and for the CAR-20/19 T cells, CD19 and CD20 single transfectants were recognized in cytotoxic T lymphocyte and interferon-γ production assays. DISCUSSION The CliniMACS Prodigy device, tubing set TS520 and TCT software allow CAR-T cells to be manufactured in a closed system at the treatment site without need for clean-room facilities and related infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenlu Zhu
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Medicine, Hematology & Oncology Division, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nirav Shah
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Medicine, Hematology & Oncology Division, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Huiqing Xu
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Medicine, Hematology & Oncology Division, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Dina Schneider
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., A Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Rimas Orentas
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., A Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Boro Dropulic
- Lentigen Technology, Inc., A Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Parameswaran Hari
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Medicine, Hematology & Oncology Division, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Carolyn A Keever-Taylor
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Medicine, Hematology & Oncology Division, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
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Galligan C, Nguyen C, Nelson J, Spooner P, Miller T, Davis BM, Lenigk R, Puleo CM. High-Capacity Redox Polymer Electrodes: Applications in Molecular and Cellular Processing. SLAS Technol 2017; 23:374-386. [PMID: 29186669 DOI: 10.1177/2472630317743947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
We present methods to fabricate high-capacity redox electrodes using thick membrane or fiber casting of conjugated polymer solutions. Unlike common solution casting or printing methods used in current organic electronics, the presented techniques enable production of PEDOT:PSS electrodes with high charge capacity and the capability to operate under applied voltages greater than 100 V without electrochemical overoxidation. The electrodes are shown integrated into several electrokinetic components commonly used in automated bioprocess or bioassay workflows, including electrophoretic DNA separation and extraction, cellular electroporation/lysis, and electroosmotic pumping. Unlike current metal electrodes used in these applications, the high-capacity polymer electrodes are shown to function without electrolysis of solvent (i.e., without production of excess H+, OH-, and H2O2 by-products). In addition, each component fabricated using the electrodes is shown to have superior capabilities compared with those fabricated with common metal electrodes. These innovations in electrokinetics include a low-voltage/high-pressure electroosmotic pump, and a "flow battery" (in which electrochemical discharge is used to generate electroosmotic flow in the absence of an applied potential). The novel electrodes (and electrokinetic demonstrations) enable new applications of organic electronics within the biology, health care, and pharmaceutical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig Galligan
- 1 Electronics Organization, GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Christopher Nguyen
- 2 Work performed during a summer internship at GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - John Nelson
- 3 Diagnostics and Biomedical Technologies, GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Patrick Spooner
- 3 Diagnostics and Biomedical Technologies, GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Todd Miller
- 1 Electronics Organization, GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Brian M Davis
- 3 Diagnostics and Biomedical Technologies, GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Ralf Lenigk
- 1 Electronics Organization, GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY, USA
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Abramowski-Mock U, Delhove JM, Qasim W. Gene Modified T Cell Therapies for Hematological Malignancies. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2017; 31:913-926. [PMID: 28895856 DOI: 10.1016/j.hoc.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This article focuses on clinical applications of T cells transduced to express recombinant T cell receptor and chimeric antigen receptor constructs directed toward hematological malignancies, and considers newer strategies incorporating gene-editing technologies to address GvHD and host-mediated rejection. Recent data from clinical trials are reviewed, and an overview is provided of current and emerging manufacturing processes; consideration is also given to new developments in the pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Abramowski-Mock
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology Unit, University college London, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Juliette M Delhove
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology Unit, University college London, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Waseem Qasim
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology Unit, University college London, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
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Delivering advanced therapies: the big pharma approach. Gene Ther 2017; 24:593-598. [PMID: 28737744 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2017.65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
After two decades of focused development and some recent clinical successes, cell and gene therapy (CGT) is emerging as a promising approach to personalized medicines. Genetically engineered cells as a medical modality are poised to stand alongside or in combination with small molecule and biopharmaceutical approaches to bring new therapies to patients globally. Big pharma can have a vital role in industrializing CGT by focusing on diseases with high unmet medical need and compelling genetic evidence. Pharma should invest in manufacturing and supply chain solutions that deliver reproducible, high-quality therapies at a commercially viable cost. Owing to the fast pace of innovation in this field proactive engagement with regulators is critical. It is also vital to understand the needs of patients all along the patient care pathway and to establish product pricing that is accepted by prescribers, payers and patients.
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