Adoptive cellular immunotherapy is a cancer treatment. In adoptive immunotherapy, T cells are isolated, manipulated, and stimulated in vitro, followed by expansion and administration into patients. Interest in this treatment is driven by impressive Phase I clinical trial results, in which the treatment has regressed large lesions, including treatment-resistant melanomas. The cost and complexity of treatment with adoptive immunotherapy have limited its use to research settings. In particular, T cell expansion requires prolonged culture. Autologous antigen presenting cells, or feeder cells, are a complex biologic that must be repeatedly assessed for safety and reliability, further increasing cost and labor. Immunotherapeutic strategies would benefit from effective ?off-the-shelf? expansion platforms that reduce complexity and expense. In this TR&D we will engineer and optimize nanoscale artificial Antigen Presenting Cells, nano-aAPCs coupled to simplify, streamline, and scale-up production of T cells for adoptive immunotherapy. Our proposed studies will improve production of highly efficacious tumor antigen-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells for ACT by effectively increasing the frequency of antigen-specific cells and their functionality due to increased control of stimulating signals.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Biotechnology Resource Grants (P41)
Project #
5P41EB028239-02
Application #
10017998
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZEB1)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2020-06-01
Budget End
2021-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Type
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21205