This technology is a method for predicting the potential therapeutic benefit of ex-vivo expanded immune cells, such as cytologically active CD8+ T cells.
Current methods for cellular immunotherapy for cancers, such as melanoma, are capable of producing objective regression in some patients, yet are only able to cure a very small percentage. Potential reasons for these limitations include an inability to accurately identify the appropriate class of leukocytes to be elicited to fight specific cancers and other infectious diseases. This inability to reliably predict the efficacy of these select immune cells before implantation in patients limits their use in additional applications. As such, a substantial need exists to develop methods for predicting the potential therapeutic benefit of ex-vivo expanded immune cells before implantation in patients.
This technology comprises methods and a quantitative model to assess active CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cells are immune cells that kill target cells upon exposure to a specific antigen. Using collagen-fibrin gels in combination with clonogenic assays, reliable determination of active CD8+ T cell quantity and quality can be used to predict efficacy in treating neoplastic, viral, and bacterial infections. By supporting the growth of both the cytotoxic T cell and various diseased cells, this assay enables researchers to determine the efficacy of select immune cells and effectively assess their therapeutic potential. As such, this technology has the potential to convert cellular immunotherapy from an empirical and unreliable therapy to a quantitative and predictable science.
The technology has been validated with cognate antigen–expressing melanoma cells.
IR 2830
Licensing Contact: Sara Gusik