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Schreibelt G, Duiveman-de Boer T, Pots JM, van Oorschot TGM, de Boer AJ, Scharenborg NM, van de Rakt MWMM, Bos K, de Goede AL, Petry K, Brüning M, Angerer C, Schöggl C, Dzionek A, de Vries IJM. Fully closed and automated enrichment of primary blood dendritic cells for cancer immunotherapy. Methods Cell Biol 2023; 183:33-50. [PMID: 38548417 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2023.05.008] [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] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination is a promising approach to induce tumor-specific immune responses in cancer patients. Until recently, most DC vaccines were based on in vitro-differentiated monocyte-derived DCs. However, through development of efficient isolation techniques, the use of primary blood dendritic cell subsets has come within reach. Manufacturing of blood-derived DCs has multiple advances over monocytes-derived DCs, including more standardized isolation and culture protocols and shorter production processes. In peripheral blood, multiple DC subsets can be distinguished based on their phenotype and function. Plasmacytoid DC (pDC) and myeloid/conventional DCs (cDC) are the two main DC populations, moreover cDC can be further subdivided into CD141/BDCA3+ DC (cDC1) and CD1c/BDCA1+ DC (cDC2). In three separate clinical DC vaccination studies in melanoma and prostate cancer patients, we manufactured DC vaccines consisting of pDCs only, cDC2s only, or a combination of pDC and cDC2s, which we called natural DCs (nDC). Here, we describe a fully closed and automated GMP-compliant method to enrich naturally circulating DCs and present the results of enrichment of primary blood DCs from aphaeresis products of 8 healthy donors, 21 castrate-resistant prostate cancer patients, and 112 stage III melanoma patients. Although primary blood DCs are relatively scarce in aphaeresis material, our results show that it is feasible to isolate highly pure pDC, cDC2, or nDC with sufficient yield to manufacture DC vaccines for natural DC-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Jeanette M Pots
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Annemiek J de Boer
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Kevin Bos
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna L de Goede
- Department of Pharmacy, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Katja Petry
- Miltenyi Biomedicine GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Mareke Brüning
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | - Carola Schöggl
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | - I Jolanda M de Vries
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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2
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Lamers-Kok N, Panella D, Georgoudaki AM, Liu H, Özkazanc D, Kučerová L, Duru AD, Spanholtz J, Raimo M. Natural killer cells in clinical development as non-engineered, engineered, and combination therapies. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:164. [DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01382-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractNatural killer (NK) cells are unique immune effectors able to kill cancer cells by direct recognition of surface ligands, without prior sensitization. Allogeneic NK transfer is a highly valuable treatment option for cancer and has recently emerged with hundreds of clinical trials paving the way to finally achieve market authorization. Advantages of NK cell therapies include the use of allogenic cell sources, off-the-shelf availability, and no risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Allogeneic NK cell therapies have reached the clinical stage as ex vivo expanded and differentiated non-engineered cells, as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered or CD16-engineered products, or as combination therapies with antibodies, priming agents, and other drugs. This review summarizes the recent clinical status of allogeneic NK cell-based therapies for the treatment of hematological and solid tumors, discussing the main characteristics of the different cell sources used for NK product development, their use in cell manufacturing processes, the engineering methods and strategies adopted for genetically modified products, and the chosen approaches for combination therapies. A comparative analysis between NK-based non-engineered, engineered, and combination therapies is presented, examining the choices made by product developers regarding the NK cell source and the targeted tumor indications, for both solid and hematological cancers. Clinical trial outcomes are discussed and, when available, assessed in comparison with preclinical data. Regulatory challenges for product approval are reviewed, highlighting the lack of specificity of requirements and standardization between products. Additionally, the competitive landscape and business field is presented. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the effort driven by biotech and pharmaceutical companies and by academic centers to bring NK cell therapies to pivotal clinical trial stages and to market authorization.
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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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Zeng Q, Liu Z, Niu T, He C, Qu Y, Qian Z. Application of nanotechnology in CAR-T-cell immunotherapy. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.107747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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5
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Sudarsanam H, Buhmann R, Henschler R. Influence of Culture Conditions on Ex Vivo Expansion of T Lymphocytes and Their Function for Therapy: Current Insights and Open Questions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:886637. [PMID: 35845425 PMCID: PMC9277485 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.886637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ex vivo expansion of T lymphocytes is a central process in the generation of cellular therapies targeted at tumors and other disease-relevant structures, which currently cannot be reached by established pharmaceuticals. The influence of culture conditions on T cell functions is, however, incompletely understood. In clinical applications of ex vivo expanded T cells, so far, a relatively classical standard cell culture methodology has been established. The expanded cells have been characterized in both preclinical models and clinical studies mainly using a therapeutic endpoint, for example antitumor response and cytotoxic function against cellular targets, whereas the influence of manipulations of T cells ex vivo including transduction and culture expansion has been studied to a much lesser detail, or in many contexts remains unknown. This includes the circulation behavior of expanded T cells after intravenous application, their intracellular metabolism and signal transduction, and their cytoskeletal (re)organization or their adhesion, migration, and subsequent intra-tissue differentiation. This review aims to provide an overview of established T cell expansion methodologies and address unanswered questions relating in vivo interaction of ex vivo expanded T cells for cellular therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Reinhard Henschler
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Ma Z, Zhao H, Shi L, Yu D, Guo X. Automatic medium exchange for micro-volume cell samples based on dielectrophoresis. Electrophoresis 2021; 42:1507-1515. [PMID: 33990980 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Cell medium exchange is a crucial step for life science and medicine. However, conventional cell medium exchange methods, including centrifuging and filtering, show limited ability for micro-volume cell samples such as circulating tumor cell (CTC) and circulating fetal cell (CFC). In this paper, we proposed an automatic medium exchange method for micro-volume cell samples based on dielectrophoresis (DEP) in microfluidic chip. Fresh medium and cell suspension were introduced into the microfluidic channel as the laminar flow. Plane stair-shaped interdigital electrodes were employed to drive the cells from the cell suspension to fresh media directly by DEP force. Additionally, we characterized and optimized the cell medium exchange according to both the theory and experiments. In the end, we achieved a 96.9% harvest rate of medium exchange for 0.3 μL samples containing micro-volume cells. For implementing an automatic continuous cell medium exchange, the proposed method can be integrated into the automatic cell processing system conveniently. Furthermore, the proposed method is a great candidate in micro-volume cell analysis and processing, cell electroporation, single cell sequencing, and other scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhouyang Ma
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Hongwang Zhao
- School of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Guilin University of Aerospace Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Liujia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Duli Yu
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. China.,Beijing Advance Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoliang Guo
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
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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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Fernández A, Navarro-Zapata A, Escudero A, Matamala N, Ruz-Caracuel B, Mirones I, Pernas A, Cobo M, Casado G, Lanzarot D, Rodríguez-Antolín C, Vela M, Ferreras C, Mestre C, Viejo A, Leivas A, Martínez J, Fernández L, Pérez-Martínez A. Optimizing the Procedure to Manufacture Clinical-Grade NK Cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030577. [PMID: 33540698 PMCID: PMC7867223 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Natural Killer cells have shown promise to treat different malignancies. Several methods have been described to obtain fully activated NK cells for clinical use. Here, we use different cell culture media and different artificial antigen presenting cells to optimize a GMP compliant manufacturing method to obtain activated and expanded NK cells suitable for clinical use. Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells represent promising tools for cancer immunotherapy. We report the optimization of an NK cell activation–expansion process and its validation on clinical-scale. Methods: RPMI-1640, stem cell growth medium (SCGM), NK MACS and TexMACS were used as culture mediums. Activated and expanded NK cells (NKAE) were obtained by coculturing total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or CD45RA+ cells with irradiated K562mbIL15-41BBL or K562mbIL21-41BBL. Fold increase, NK cell purity, activation status, cytotoxicity and transcriptome profile were analyzed. Clinical-grade NKAE cells were manufactured in CliniMACS Prodigy. Results: NK MACS and TexMACs achieved the highest NK cell purity and lowest T cell contamination. Obtaining NKAE cells from CD45RA+ cells was feasible although PBMC yielded higher total cell numbers and NK cell purity than CD45RA+ cells. The highest fold expansion and NK purity were achieved by using PBMC and K562mbIL21-41BBL cells. However, no differences in activation and cytotoxicity were found when using either NK cell source or activating cell line. Transcriptome profile showed to be different between basal NK cells and NKAE cells expanded with K562mbIL21-41BBL or K562mbIL15-41BBL. Clinical-grade manufactured NKAE cells complied with the specifications from the Spanish Regulatory Agency. Conclusions: GMP-grade NK cells for clinical use can be obtained by using different starting cells and aAPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Fernández
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
| | - Alfonso Navarro-Zapata
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Adela Escudero
- Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM), La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain;
- Translational Research in Pediatric Oncology, Hematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM-IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.); (B.R.-C.)
| | - Nerea Matamala
- Translational Research in Pediatric Oncology, Hematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM-IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.); (B.R.-C.)
| | - Beatriz Ruz-Caracuel
- Translational Research in Pediatric Oncology, Hematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM-IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.); (B.R.-C.)
| | - Isabel Mirones
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Alicia Pernas
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Marta Cobo
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Gema Casado
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit, Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Service and Pharmacy Service, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Lanzarot
- Applications Department Miltenyi Biotec, 28223 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Carlos Rodríguez-Antolín
- Experimental Therapies and Novel Biomarkers in Cancer, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain;
| | - María Vela
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Cristina Ferreras
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Carmen Mestre
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Aurora Viejo
- Hematology and Hemotherapy Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Alejandra Leivas
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
- Hematology Department 12 de Octubre University Hospital, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Martínez
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
- Hematology Department 12 de Octubre University Hospital, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucía Fernández
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
| | - Antonio Pérez-Martínez
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
- Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-912071408 (ext. 41408)
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9
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Nath SC, Harper L, Rancourt DE. Cell-Based Therapy Manufacturing in Stirred Suspension Bioreactor: Thoughts for cGMP Compliance. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:599674. [PMID: 33324625 PMCID: PMC7726241 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.599674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-based therapy (CBT) is attracting much attention to treat incurable diseases. In recent years, several clinical trials have been conducted using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), and other potential therapeutic cells. Various private- and government-funded organizations are investing in finding permanent cures for diseases that are difficult or expensive to treat over a lifespan, such as age-related macular degeneration, Parkinson’s disease, or diabetes, etc. Clinical-grade cell manufacturing requiring current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) has therefore become an important issue to make safe and effective CBT products. Current cell production practices are adopted from conventional antibody or protein production in the pharmaceutical industry, wherein cells are used as a vector to produce the desired products. With CBT, however, the “cells are the final products” and sensitive to physico- chemical parameters and storage conditions anywhere between isolation and patient administration. In addition, the manufacturing of cellular products involves multi-stage processing, including cell isolation, genetic modification, PSC derivation, expansion, differentiation, purification, characterization, cryopreservation, etc. Posing a high risk of product contamination, these can be time- and cost- prohibitive due to maintenance of cGMP. The growing demand of CBT needs integrated manufacturing systems that can provide a more simple and cost-effective platform. Here, we discuss the current methods and limitations of CBT, based upon experience with biologics production. We review current cell manufacturing integration, automation and provide an overview of some important considerations and best cGMP practices. Finally, we propose how multi-stage cell processing can be integrated into a single bioreactor, in order to develop streamlined cGMP-compliant cell processing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman C Nath
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Lane Harper
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Derrick E Rancourt
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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10
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Schäfer D, Henze J, Pfeifer R, Schleicher A, Brauner J, Mockel-Tenbrinck N, Barth C, Gudert D, Al Rawashdeh W, Johnston ICD, Hardt O. A Novel Siglec-4 Derived Spacer Improves the Functionality of CAR T Cells Against Membrane-Proximal Epitopes. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1704. [PMID: 32849600 PMCID: PMC7426717 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A domain that is often neglected in the assessment of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) functionality is the extracellular spacer module. However, several studies have elucidated that membrane proximal epitopes are best targeted through CARs comprising long spacers, while short spacer CARs exhibit highest activity on distal epitopes. This finding can be explained by the requirement to have an optimal distance between the effector T cell and target cell. Commonly used long spacer domains are the CH2-CH3 domains of IgG molecules. However, CARs containing these spacers generally show inferior in vivo efficacy in mouse models compared to their observed in vitro activity, which is linked to unspecific Fcγ-Receptor binding and can be abolished by mutating the respective regions. Here, we first assessed a CAR therapy targeting membrane proximal CD20 using such a modified long IgG1 spacer. However, despite these mutations, this construct failed to unfold its observed in vitro cytotoxic potential in an in vivo model, while a shorter but less structured CD8α spacer CAR showed complete tumor clearance. Given the shortage of well-described long spacer domains with a favorable functionality profile, we designed a novel class of CAR spacers with similar attributes to IgG spacers but without unspecific off-target binding, derived from the Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins (Siglecs). Of five constructs tested, a Siglec-4 derived spacer showed highest cytotoxic potential and similar performance to a CD8α spacer in a CD20 specific CAR setting. In a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma model, a Siglec-4 spacer CAR targeting a membrane proximal (TSPAN8) epitope was efficiently engaged in vitro, while a membrane distal (CD66c) epitope did not activate the T cell. Transfer of the TSPAN8 specific Siglec-4 spacer CAR to an in vivo setting maintained the excellent tumor killing characteristics being indistinguishable from a TSPAN8 CD8α spacer CAR while outperforming an IgG4 long spacer CAR and, at the same time, showing an advantageous central memory CAR T cell phenotype with lower release of inflammatory cytokines. In summary, we developed a novel spacer that combines cytotoxic potential with an advantageous T cell and cytokine release phenotype, which make this an interesting candidate for future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Schäfer
- Translational Molecular Imaging, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology & Clinic for Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Janina Henze
- Translational Molecular Imaging, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology & Clinic for Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Rita Pfeifer
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Anna Schleicher
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biosciences, Karlsruher Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Janina Brauner
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | - Carola Barth
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Daniela Gudert
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | - Ian C D Johnston
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Olaf Hardt
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
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11
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Chen R, Li L, Feng L, Luo Y, Xu M, Leong KW, Yao R. Biomaterial-assisted scalable cell production for cell therapy. Biomaterials 2019; 230:119627. [PMID: 31767445 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cell therapy, the treatment of diseases using living cells, offers a promising clinical approach to treating refractory diseases. The global market for cell therapy is growing rapidly, and there is an increasing demand for automated methods that can produce large quantities of high quality therapeutic cells. Biomaterials can be used during cell production to establish a biomimetic microenvironment that promotes cell adhesion and proliferation while maintaining target cell genotype and phenotype. Here we review recent progress and emerging techniques in biomaterial-assisted cell production. The increasing use of auxiliary biomaterials and automated production methods provides an opportunity to improve quality control and increase production efficiency using standardized GMP-compliant procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology of Ministry of Education, Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Ling Li
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology of Ministry of Education, Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Lu Feng
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology of Ministry of Education, Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yixue Luo
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology of Ministry of Education, Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Mingen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Information and 3D Bioprinting of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Kam W Leong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
| | - Rui Yao
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology of Ministry of Education, Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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12
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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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13
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Abraham E, Ahmadian BB, Holderness K, Levinson Y, McAfee E. Platforms for Manufacturing Allogeneic, Autologous and iPSC Cell Therapy Products: An Industry Perspective. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 165:323-350. [PMID: 28534167 DOI: 10.1007/10_2017_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
As cell therapy processes mature from benchtop research protocols to industrial processes capable of manufacturing market-relevant numbers of doses, new cell manufacturing platforms are required. Here we give an overview of the platforms and technologies currently available to manufacture allogeneic cell products, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and technologies for mass production of autologous cell therapies via scale-out. These technologies include bioreactors, microcarriers, cell separation and cryopreservation equipment, molecular biology tools for iPSC generation, and single-use controlled-environment systems for autologous cell production. These platforms address the challenges of manufacturing cell products in greater numbers while maintaining process robustness and product quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eytan Abraham
- Research and Technology, Lonza, Walkersville, MD, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Erika McAfee
- Research and Technology, Lonza, Walkersville, MD, USA
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14
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Bol KF, Schreibelt G, Rabold K, Wculek SK, Schwarze JK, Dzionek A, Teijeira A, Kandalaft LE, Romero P, Coukos G, Neyns B, Sancho D, Melero I, de Vries IJM. The clinical application of cancer immunotherapy based on naturally circulating dendritic cells. J Immunother Cancer 2019. [PMID: 30999964 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0580-] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) can initiate and direct adaptive immune responses. This ability is exploitable in DC vaccination strategies, in which DCs are educated ex vivo to present tumor antigens and are administered into the patient with the aim to induce a tumor-specific immune response. DC vaccination remains a promising approach with the potential to further improve cancer immunotherapy with little or no evidence of treatment-limiting toxicity. However, evidence for objective clinical antitumor activity of DC vaccination is currently limited, hampering the clinical implementation. One possible explanation for this is that the most commonly used monocyte-derived DCs may not be the best source for DC-based immunotherapy. The novel approach to use naturally circulating DCs may be an attractive alternative. In contrast to monocyte-derived DCs, naturally circulating DCs are relatively scarce but do not require extensive culture periods. Thereby, their functional capabilities are preserved, the reproducibility of clinical applications is increased, and the cells are not dysfunctional before injection. In human blood, at least three DC subsets can be distinguished, plasmacytoid DCs, CD141+ and CD1c+ myeloid/conventional DCs, each with distinct functional characteristics. In completed clinical trials, either CD1c+ myeloid DCs or plasmacytoid DCs were administered and showed encouraging immunological and clinical outcomes. Currently, also the combination of CD1c+ myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs as well as the intratumoral use of CD1c+ myeloid DCs is under investigation in the clinic. Isolation and culture strategies for CD141+ myeloid DCs are being developed. Here, we summarize and discuss recent clinical developments and future prospects of natural DC-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalijn F Bol
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Katrin Rabold
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Stefanie K Wculek
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Alvaro Teijeira
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Lana E Kandalaft
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Romero
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - George Coukos
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bart Neyns
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Sancho
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - I Jolanda M de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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15
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Bol KF, Schreibelt G, Rabold K, Wculek SK, Schwarze JK, Dzionek A, Teijeira A, Kandalaft LE, Romero P, Coukos G, Neyns B, Sancho D, Melero I, de Vries IJM. The clinical application of cancer immunotherapy based on naturally circulating dendritic cells. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:109. [PMID: 30999964 PMCID: PMC6471787 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) can initiate and direct adaptive immune responses. This ability is exploitable in DC vaccination strategies, in which DCs are educated ex vivo to present tumor antigens and are administered into the patient with the aim to induce a tumor-specific immune response. DC vaccination remains a promising approach with the potential to further improve cancer immunotherapy with little or no evidence of treatment-limiting toxicity. However, evidence for objective clinical antitumor activity of DC vaccination is currently limited, hampering the clinical implementation. One possible explanation for this is that the most commonly used monocyte-derived DCs may not be the best source for DC-based immunotherapy. The novel approach to use naturally circulating DCs may be an attractive alternative. In contrast to monocyte-derived DCs, naturally circulating DCs are relatively scarce but do not require extensive culture periods. Thereby, their functional capabilities are preserved, the reproducibility of clinical applications is increased, and the cells are not dysfunctional before injection. In human blood, at least three DC subsets can be distinguished, plasmacytoid DCs, CD141+ and CD1c+ myeloid/conventional DCs, each with distinct functional characteristics. In completed clinical trials, either CD1c+ myeloid DCs or plasmacytoid DCs were administered and showed encouraging immunological and clinical outcomes. Currently, also the combination of CD1c+ myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs as well as the intratumoral use of CD1c+ myeloid DCs is under investigation in the clinic. Isolation and culture strategies for CD141+ myeloid DCs are being developed. Here, we summarize and discuss recent clinical developments and future prospects of natural DC-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalijn F. Bol
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Katrin Rabold
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Stefanie K. Wculek
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Alvaro Teijeira
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Lana E. Kandalaft
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Romero
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - George Coukos
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bart Neyns
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Sancho
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - I. Jolanda M. de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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16
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Dai X, Mei Y, Nie J, Bai Z. Scaling up the Manufacturing Process of Adoptive T Cell Immunotherapy. Biotechnol J 2019; 14:e1800239. [PMID: 30307117 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201800239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive T cell immunotherapy, involving the reprogramming of immune cells to target specific cancer or virus-infected cells, has been recognized as a promising novel approach for the treatment of complex diseases. The impressive global momentum of this therapeutic approach has highlighted the urgent need for establishing it as an effective and standardized onco-therapeutic approach in a large manufacturing scale. However, given its heterogeneity and uncertainty in nature, adoptive T cell immunotherapy is associated with a high failure rate that restricts its manufacturing to a limited number of institutions worldwide. It is undoubted that quite a few major challenges must be met before engineered T cells can be considered as a reliable, safe, and effective remedy for a broad range of diseases with global-wise patient benefits. Here, the fundamental challenges that as yet remain unsolved in the manufacturing process before adoptive T cell therapy can be considered as a key element in the next generation of precision medicine is reviewed. It is proposed that it is necessary to adopt a closed system, automation, cost-effective manufacturing model, and quality-by-design (QbD) strategy to enable scaled up manufacturing of adoptive T cell immunotherapy; and it is challenging to choose appropriate bioreactors, parameters, and infrastructure in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Dai
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yi Mei
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jianqi Nie
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhonghu Bai
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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17
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Dai X, Mei Y, Cai D, Han W. Standardizing CAR-T therapy: Getting it scaled up. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 37:239-245. [PMID: 30543841 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
CAR-T therapy, grafting the specificity of a monoclonal antibody onto a T cell to target certain cancer cells, has been recognized as a promising therapeutic approach for cancer control as evidenced by the two CAR-T products proved by FDA in 2017. However, the unique heterogeneity of CAR-T therapy has restricted its production in a limited number of institutions and made it a boutique oncotherapy. By reviewing outstanding issues surrounding the commercial scale production of CAR-T therapy, we conclude that achieving mass production of CAR-T therapy without sacrificing its personalized nature is a worldwild challenge for making CAR-T a key element in the next generation of precision medicine, which can be achieved by standardizing 7 prominent factors that collectively determine the scale of CAR-T manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Dai
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Yi Mei
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Dongyan Cai
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Weidong Han
- Department of Molecular & Immunological Research, Bio-therapeutic Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
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18
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Jenkins J, Park J, Petersen K, Shajihan K, Kruthiventi S, Betenbaugh M. Adoptive T cell therapy: engineering and biomanufacturing chimeric antigen receptor-T cell. Curr Opin Chem Eng 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coche.2018.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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19
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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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20
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Lin H, Li Q, Wang O, Rauch J, Harm B, Viljoen HJ, Zhang C, Van Wyk E, Zhang C, Lei Y. Automated Expansion of Primary Human T Cells in Scalable and Cell-Friendly Hydrogel Microtubes for Adoptive Immunotherapy. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7:e1701297. [PMID: 29749707 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201701297] [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: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Adoptive immunotherapy is a highly effective strategy for treating many human cancers, such as melanoma, cervical cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia. Here, a novel cell culture technology is reported for expanding primary human T cells for adoptive immunotherapy. T cells are suspended and cultured in microscale alginate hydrogel tubes (AlgTubes) that are suspended in the cell culture medium in a culture vessel. The hydrogel tubes protect cells from hydrodynamic stresses and confine the cell mass less than 400 µm (in radial diameter) to ensure efficient mass transport, creating a cell-friendly microenvironment for growing T cells. This system is simple, scalable, highly efficient, defined, cost-effective, and compatible with current good manufacturing practices. Under optimized culture conditions, the AlgTubes enable culturing T cells with high cell viability, low DNA damage, high growth rate (≈320-fold expansion over 14 days), high purity (≈98% CD3+), and high yield (≈3.2 × 108 cells mL-1 hydrogel). All offer considerable advantages compared to current T cell culturing approaches. This new culture technology can significantly reduce the culture volume, time, and cost, while increasing the production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haishuang Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
| | - Ou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
| | - Jack Rauch
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
| | - Braden Harm
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
| | - Hendrik J. Viljoen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology; College of Medicine; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha 68198 NE USA
| | | | - Chi Zhang
- School of Biological Science; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
| | - Yuguo Lei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program; University of Nebraska; Lincoln 68588 NE USA
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha 68198 NE USA
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha 68106 NE USA
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21
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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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22
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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: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [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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Harrison RP, Ruck S, Medcalf N, Rafiq QA. Decentralized manufacturing of cell and gene therapies: Overcoming challenges and identifying opportunities. Cytotherapy 2017; 19:1140-1151. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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24
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Roh KH, Nerem RM, Roy K. Biomanufacturing of Therapeutic Cells: State of the Art, Current Challenges, and Future Perspectives. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2017; 7:455-78. [PMID: 27276552 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-080615-033559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells and other functionally defined therapeutic cells (e.g., T cells) are promising to bring hope of a permanent cure for diseases and disorders that currently cannot be cured by conventional drugs or biological molecules. This paradigm shift in modern medicine of using cells as novel therapeutics can be realized only if suitable manufacturing technologies for large-scale, cost-effective, reproducible production of high-quality cells can be developed. Here we review the state of the art in therapeutic cell manufacturing, including cell purification and isolation, activation and differentiation, genetic modification, expansion, packaging, and preservation. We identify current challenges and discuss opportunities to overcome them such that cell therapies become highly effective, safe, and predictively reproducible while at the same time becoming affordable and widely available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Ho Roh
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0313; .,The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
| | - Robert M Nerem
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332.,The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
| | - Krishnendu Roy
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0313; .,The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
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25
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Granzin M, Wagner J, Köhl U, Cerwenka A, Huppert V, Ullrich E. Shaping of Natural Killer Cell Antitumor Activity by Ex Vivo Cultivation. Front Immunol 2017; 8:458. [PMID: 28491060 PMCID: PMC5405078 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are a promising tool for the use in adoptive immunotherapy, since they efficiently recognize and kill tumor cells. In this context, ex vivo cultivation is an attractive option to increase NK cells in numbers and to improve their antitumor potential prior to clinical applications. Consequently, various strategies to generate NK cells for adoptive immunotherapy have been developed. Here, we give an overview of different NK cell cultivation approaches and their impact on shaping the NK cell antitumor activity. So far, the cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, and IL-21 are used to culture and expand NK cells. The selection of the respective cytokine combination is an important factor that directly affects NK cell maturation, proliferation, survival, distribution of NK cell subpopulations, activation, and function in terms of cytokine production and cytotoxic potential. Importantly, cytokines can upregulate the expression of certain activating receptors on NK cells, thereby increasing their responsiveness against tumor cells that express the corresponding ligands. Apart from using cytokines, cocultivation with autologous accessory non-NK cells or addition of growth-inactivated feeder cells are approaches for NK cell cultivation with pronounced effects on NK cell activation and expansion. Furthermore, ex vivo cultivation was reported to prime NK cells for the killing of tumor cells that were previously resistant to NK cell attack. In general, NK cells become frequently dysfunctional in cancer patients, for instance, by downregulation of NK cell activating receptors, disabling them in their antitumor response. In such scenario, ex vivo cultivation can be helpful to arm NK cells with enhanced antitumor properties to overcome immunosuppression. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on NK cell modulation by different ex vivo cultivation strategies focused on increasing NK cytotoxicity for clinical application in malignant diseases. Moreover, we critically discuss the technical and regulatory aspects and challenges underlying NK cell based therapeutic approaches in the clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Granzin
- Clinical Research, Miltenyi Biotec Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Juliane Wagner
- Division for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, Hospital of the Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Cellular Immunology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ulrike Köhl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Adelheid Cerwenka
- Innate Immunity Group, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Immunbiochemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Volker Huppert
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ullrich
- Division for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, Hospital of the Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Cellular Immunology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
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26
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Skorska A, Müller P, Gaebel R, Große J, Lemcke H, Lux CA, Bastian M, Hausburg F, Zarniko N, Bubritzki S, Ruch U, Tiedemann G, David R, Steinhoff G. GMP-conformant on-site manufacturing of a CD133 + stem cell product for cardiovascular regeneration. Stem Cell Res Ther 2017; 8:33. [PMID: 28187777 PMCID: PMC5303262 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-016-0467-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background CD133+ stem cells represent a promising subpopulation for innovative cell-based therapies in cardiovascular regeneration. Several clinical trials have shown remarkable beneficial effects following their intramyocardial transplantation. Yet, the purification of CD133+ stem cells is typically performed in centralized clean room facilities using semi-automatic manufacturing processes based on magnetic cell sorting (MACS®). However, this requires time-consuming and cost-intensive logistics. Methods CD133+ stem cells were purified from patient-derived sternal bone marrow using the recently developed automatic CliniMACS Prodigy® BM-133 System (Prodigy). The entire manufacturing process, as well as the subsequent quality control of the final cell product (CP), were realized on-site and in compliance with EU guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practice. The biological activity of automatically isolated CD133+ cells was evaluated and compared to manually isolated CD133+ cells via functional assays as well as immunofluorescence microscopy. In addition, the regenerative potential of purified stem cells was assessed 3 weeks after transplantation in immunodeficient mice which had been subjected to experimental myocardial infarction. Results We established for the first time an on-site manufacturing procedure for stem CPs intended for the treatment of ischemic heart diseases using an automatized system. On average, 0.88 × 106 viable CD133+ cells with a mean log10 depletion of 3.23 ± 0.19 of non-target cells were isolated. Furthermore, we demonstrated that these automatically isolated cells bear proliferation and differentiation capacities comparable to manually isolated cells in vitro. Moreover, the automatically generated CP shows equal cardiac regeneration potential in vivo. Conclusions Our results indicate that the Prodigy is a powerful system for automatic manufacturing of a CD133+ CP within few hours. Compared to conventional manufacturing processes, future clinical application of this system offers multiple benefits including stable CP quality and on-site purification under reduced clean room requirements. This will allow saving of time, reduced logistics and diminished costs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-016-0467-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Skorska
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany.,Department Life, Light and Matter of the Interdisciplinary Faculty at Rostock University, Albert-Einstein Straße 25, Rostock, 18059, Germany
| | - Paula Müller
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Ralf Gaebel
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Jana Große
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Heiko Lemcke
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany.,Department Life, Light and Matter of the Interdisciplinary Faculty at Rostock University, Albert-Einstein Straße 25, Rostock, 18059, Germany
| | - Cornelia A Lux
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Manuela Bastian
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (ILAB), Rostock University Medical Center, Ernst-Heydemann-Straße 6, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Frauke Hausburg
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Nicole Zarniko
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Sandra Bubritzki
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 35, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Ulrike Ruch
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Gudrun Tiedemann
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany
| | - Robert David
- Reference and Translation Center for Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy (RTC), Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 68, Rostock, 18057, Germany.,Department Life, Light and Matter of the Interdisciplinary Faculty at Rostock University, Albert-Einstein Straße 25, Rostock, 18059, Germany
| | - Gustav Steinhoff
- Department Life, Light and Matter of the Interdisciplinary Faculty at Rostock University, Albert-Einstein Straße 25, Rostock, 18059, Germany. .,Department of Cardiac Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Schillingallee 35, Rostock, 18057, Germany.
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27
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Reis M, Ogonek J, Qesari M, Borges NM, Nicholson L, Preußner L, Dickinson AM, Wang XN, Weissinger EM, Richter A. Recent Developments in Cellular Immunotherapy for HSCT-Associated Complications. Front Immunol 2016; 7:500. [PMID: 27895644 PMCID: PMC5107577 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is associated with serious complications, and improvement of the overall clinical outcome of patients with hematological malignancies is necessary. During the last decades, posttransplant donor-derived adoptive cellular immunotherapeutic strategies have been progressively developed for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), infectious complications, and tumor relapses. To date, the common challenge of all these cell-based approaches is their implementation for clinical application. Establishing an appropriate manufacturing process, to guarantee safe and effective therapeutics with simultaneous consideration of economic requirements is one of the most critical hurdles. In this review, we will discuss the recent scientific findings, clinical experiences, and technological advances for cell processing toward the application of mesenchymal stromal cells as a therapy for treatment of severe GvHD, virus-specific T cells for targeting life-threating infections, and of chimeric antigen receptors-engineered T cells to treat relapsed leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Reis
- Haematological Sciences, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | - Justyna Ogonek
- Transplantation Biology, Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | | | - Nuno M Borges
- Haematological Sciences, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | - Lindsay Nicholson
- Haematological Sciences, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | | | - Anne Mary Dickinson
- Haematological Sciences, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Alcyomics Ltd., Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Xiao-Nong Wang
- Haematological Sciences, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
| | - Eva M Weissinger
- Transplantation Biology, Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | - Anne Richter
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH , Bergisch Gladbach , Germany
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28
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Mock U, Nickolay L, Philip B, Cheung GWK, Zhan H, Johnston IC, Kaiser AD, Peggs K, Pule M, Thrasher AJ, Qasim W. Automated manufacturing of chimeric antigen receptor T cells for adoptive immunotherapy using CliniMACS Prodigy. Cytotherapy 2016; 18:1002-1011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2016.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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29
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Goodman MA, Malik P. The potential of gene therapy approaches for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies: achievements and challenges. Ther Adv Hematol 2016; 7:302-315. [PMID: 27695619 DOI: 10.1177/2040620716653729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemoglobinopathies, including β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD), are a heterogeneous group of commonly inherited disorders affecting the function or levels of hemoglobin. Disease phenotype can be severe with substantial morbidity and mortality. Bone marrow transplantation is curative, but limited to those patients with an appropriately matched donor. Genetic therapy, which utilizes a patient's own cells, is thus an attractive therapeutic option. Numerous therapies are currently in clinical trials or in development, including therapies utilizing gene replacement therapy using lentiviruses and the latest gene editing techniques. In addition, methods are being developed that may be able to expand gene therapies to those with poor access to medical care, potentially significantly decreasing the global burden of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Goodman
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology,Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Punam Malik
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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30
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Granzin M, Soltenborn S, Müller S, Kollet J, Berg M, Cerwenka A, Childs RW, Huppert V. Fully automated expansion and activation of clinical-grade natural killer cells for adoptive immunotherapy. Cytotherapy 2016; 17:621-32. [PMID: 25881519 PMCID: PMC8725994 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2015.03.611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Revised: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Ex vivo expansion of natural killer (NK) cells is a strategy to produce large numbers of these effector cells for immunotherapy. However, the transfer of bench-top expansion protocols to clinically applicable methods is challenging for NK cell-based therapy because of regulatory aspects and scale-up issues. Therefore, we developed an automated, large-scale NK cell expansion process. METHODS Enriched NK cells were expanded with interleukin-2 and irradiated clinical-grade Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid feeder cells with the use of an automated system in comparison to manual expansion, and the cells were investigated for their functionality, phenotype and gene expression. RESULTS Automated expansion resulted in a mean 850-fold expansion of NK cells by day 14, yielding 1.3 (± 0.9) × 10(9) activated NK cells. Automatically and manually produced NK cells were comparable in target cell lysis, degranulation and production of interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α and had similar high levels of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against rituximab-treated leukemic cells. NK cells after automated or manual expansion showed similar gene expression and marker profiles. However, expanded NK cells differed significantly from primary NK cells including upregulation of the functional relevant molecules TRAIL and FasL and NK cell-activating receptors NKp30, NKG2D and DNAM-1. Neither automatically nor manually expanded NK cells showed reduced telomere length indicative of a conserved proliferative potential. CONCLUSIONS We established an automated method to expand high numbers of clinical-grade NK cells with properties similar to their manually produced counterparts. This automated process represents a highly efficient tool to standardize NK cell processing for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Granzin
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany; Innate Immunity Group, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | | | - Jutta Kollet
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Maria Berg
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Hematology Branch, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Adelheid Cerwenka
- Innate Immunity Group, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard W Childs
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Hematology Branch, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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31
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Hümmer C, Poppe C, Bunos M, Stock B, Wingenfeld E, Huppert V, Stuth J, Reck K, Essl M, Seifried E, Bonig H. Automation of cellular therapy product manufacturing: results of a split validation comparing CD34 selection of peripheral blood stem cell apheresis product with a semi-manual vs. an automatic procedure. J Transl Med 2016; 14:76. [PMID: 26983643 PMCID: PMC4793541 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-016-0826-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Automation of cell therapy manufacturing promises higher productivity of cell factories, more economical use of highly-trained (and costly) manufacturing staff, facilitation of processes requiring manufacturing steps at inconvenient hours, improved consistency of processing steps and other benefits. One of the most broadly disseminated engineered cell therapy products is immunomagnetically selected CD34+ hematopoietic “stem” cells (HSCs). Methods As the clinical GMP-compliant automat CliniMACS Prodigy is being programmed to perform ever more complex sequential manufacturing steps, we developed a CD34+ selection module for comparison with the standard semi-automatic CD34 “normal scale” selection process on CliniMACS Plus, applicable for 600 × 106 target cells out of 60 × 109 total cells. Three split-validation processings with healthy donor G-CSF-mobilized apheresis products were performed; feasibility, time consumption and product quality were assessed. Results All processes proceeded uneventfully. Prodigy runs took about 1 h longer than CliniMACS Plus runs, albeit with markedly less hands-on operator time and therefore also suitable for less experienced operators. Recovery of target cells was the same for both technologies. Although impurities, specifically T- and B-cells, were 5 ± 1.6-fold and 4 ± 0.4-fold higher in the Prodigy products (p = ns and p = 0.013 for T and B cell depletion, respectively), T cell contents per kg of a virtual recipient receiving 4 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg was below 10 × 103/kg even in the worst Prodigy product and thus more than fivefold below the specification of CD34+ selected mismatched-donor stem cell products. The products’ theoretical clinical usability is thus confirmed. Conclusions This split validation exercise of a relatively short and simple process exemplifies the potential of automatic cell manufacturing. Automation will further gain in attractiveness when applied to more complex processes, requiring frequent interventions or handling at unfavourable working hours, such as re-targeting of T-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Hümmer
- Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Carolin Poppe
- Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Milica Bunos
- Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Belinda Stock
- Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eva Wingenfeld
- Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Mike Essl
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany
| | - Erhard Seifried
- Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.,Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Halvard Bonig
- Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany. .,Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany. .,Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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32
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Spohn G, Wiercinska E, Karpova D, Bunos M, Hümmer C, Wingenfeld E, Sorg N, Poppe C, Huppert V, Stuth J, Reck K, Essl M, Seifried E, Bönig H. Automated CD34+ cell isolation of peripheral blood stem cell apheresis product. Cytotherapy 2015; 17:1465-71. [PMID: 25981397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2015.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Immunomagnetic enrichment of CD34+ hematopoietic "stem" cells (HSCs) using paramagnetic nanobead coupled CD34 antibody and immunomagnetic extraction with the CliniMACS plus system is the standard approach to generating T-cell-depleted stem cell grafts. Their clinical beneficence in selected indications is established. Even though CD34+ selected grafts are typically given in the context of a severely immunosuppressive conditioning with anti-thymocyte globulin or similar, the degree of T-cell depletion appears to affect clinical outcomes and thus in addition to CD34 cell recovery, the degree of T-cell depletion critically describes process quality. An automatic immunomagnetic cell processing system, CliniMACS Prodigy, including a protocol for fully automatic CD34+ cell selection from apheresis products, was recently developed. We performed a formal process validation to support submission of the protocol for CE release, a prerequisite for clinical use of Prodigy CD34+ products. METHODS Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor-mobilized healthy-donor apheresis products were subjected to CD34+ cell selection using Prodigy with clinical reagents and consumables and advanced beta versions of the CD34 selection software. Target and non-target cells were enumerated using sensitive flow cytometry platforms. RESULTS Nine successful clinical-scale CD34+ cell selections were performed. Beyond setup, no operator intervention was required. Prodigy recovered 74 ± 13% of target cells with a viability of 99.9 ± 0.05%. Per 5 × 10E6 CD34+ cells, which we consider a per-kilogram dose of HSCs, products contained 17 ± 3 × 10E3 T cells and 78 ± 22 × 10E3 B cells. CONCLUSIONS The process for CD34 selection with Prodigy is robust and labor-saving but not time-saving. Compared with clinical CD34+ selected products concurrently generated with the predecessor technology, product properties, importantly including CD34+ cell recovery and T-cell contents, were not significantly different. The automatic system is suitable for routine clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Spohn
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eliza Wiercinska
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Darja Karpova
- Goethe University Medical Center, Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Milica Bunos
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christiane Hümmer
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eva Wingenfeld
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nadine Sorg
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Carolin Poppe
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Mike Essl
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany
| | - Erhard Seifried
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany; Goethe University Medical Center, Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Halvard Bönig
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Institute Frankfurt, Department of Cellular Therapeutics, Frankfurt, Germany; Goethe University Medical Center, Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Frankfurt, Germany; University of Washington, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Seattle, Washington, USA.
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33
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Bunos M, Hümmer C, Wingenfeld E, Sorg N, Pfirrmann V, Bader P, Seifried E, Bönig H. Automated isolation of primary antigen-specific T cells from donor lymphocyte concentrates: results of a feasibility exercise. Vox Sang 2015; 109:387-93. [PMID: 25951789 DOI: 10.1111/vox.12291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Revised: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The safety and clinical efficacy of adoptive transfer of prospectively isolated antigen-specific T cells are well established. Several competing selection methods are available, one of which is based on immunomagnetic enrichment of T cells secreting IFNγ after incubation with the relevant antigen. The proprietary, GMP-conforming selection technology, called 'cytokine capture system' (CCS) is established in many laboratories for the CliniMACS Plus system. It is robust and efficient, but labour-intensive and incompatible with a single-shift working schedule. An automatic immunomagnetic cell processing system, CliniMACS Prodigy ('Prodigy'), including a protocol for fully automatic CCS execution was recently released. MATERIAL AND METHODS Feasibility of clinical-scale CMV-specific T-cell selection using Prodigy was evaluated using leukoapheresis products from five healthy CMV sero-positive volunteers. Clinical reagents and consumables were used throughout. RESULTS The process required no operator input beyond set-up and QC-sample collection, that is, feasibility was given. An IFNγ-secreting target T-cell population was detectable after stimulation, and >2 log-scale relative depletion of not CMV-reactive T cells in the target population was achieved. Purity, that is the frequency of CMV-reactive T cells among all CD3(+) cells ranged between 64 and 93%. CONCLUSION The CCS protocol on Prodigy is unrestrictedly functional. It runs fully automatically beyond set-up and thus markedly reduces labour. The quality of the products generated is similar to products generated with CliniMACS Plus. The automatic system is thus suitable for routine clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bunos
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - C Hümmer
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - E Wingenfeld
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - N Sorg
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - V Pfirrmann
- Center of Child and Adolescent Health, Department for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - P Bader
- Center of Child and Adolescent Health, Department for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - E Seifried
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.,Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - H Bönig
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hesse, Department of Cellular Therapeutics (GMP), Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.,Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Cellular therapies show early proof of safety and efficacy in a, so far, limited number of clinical trials. Technical and regulatory difficulties in translating innovative preclinical cell therapy approaches into clinical protocols have been and still are a major roadblock for a more rapid progress. This is particularly true for broad clinical applications of cellular therapies outside specialized clinical centers and for the initiation of multicenter clinical trials. The increased awareness of such deficits in availability of cGMP-compliant technologies and integration of multistep procedures into one clinical manufacturing process has initiated efforts from both basic researchers and biotech companies to overcome these problems. These developments will be exemplified with a focus on T-cell therapies and, in particular, the use of regulatory T cells for bone marrow and organ transplantation or autoimmunity. RECENT FINDINGS Recent developments in the field of clinical cell sorting, identification of therapeutically relevant T-cell subsets, in-vitro cell culture technologies and automation have the potential to provide solutions for long-standing problems in the field of clinical cell processing. SUMMARY Recent technological developments and further attempts aiming at simplification, integration of multistep procedures and automation of clinical cell processing are key for the development of successful cellular therapies and their broad implementation in the clinics.
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Rodrigues GMC, Rodrigues CAV, Fernandes TG, Diogo MM, Cabral JMS. Clinical-scale purification of pluripotent stem cell derivatives for cell-based therapies. Biotechnol J 2015; 10:1103-14. [PMID: 25851544 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201400535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have the potential to revolutionize cell-replacement therapies because of their ability to self renew and differentiate into nearly every cell type in the body. However, safety concerns have delayed the clinical translation of this technology. One cause for this is the capacity that hPSCs have to generate tumors after transplantation. Because of the challenges associated with achieving complete differentiation into clinically relevant cell types, the development of safe and efficient strategies for purifying committed cells is essential for advancing hPSC-based therapies. Several purification strategies have now succeeded in generating non-tumorigenic and homogeneous cell-populations. These techniques typically enrich for cells by either depleting early committed populations from teratoma-initiating hPSCs or by positively selecting cells after differentiation. Here we review the working principles behind separation methods that have facilitated the safe and controlled application of hPSC-derived cells in laboratory settings and pre-clinical research. We underscore the need for improving and integrating purification strategies within differentiation protocols in order to unlock the therapeutic potential of hPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo M C Rodrigues
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlos A V Rodrigues
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tiago G Fernandes
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Margarida Diogo
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Joaquim M S Cabral
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Kaiser AD, Assenmacher M, Schröder B, Meyer M, Orentas R, Bethke U, Dropulic B. Towards a commercial process for the manufacture of genetically modified T cells for therapy. Cancer Gene Ther 2015; 22:72-8. [PMID: 25613483 PMCID: PMC4356749 DOI: 10.1038/cgt.2014.78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The recent successes of adoptive T-cell immunotherapy for the treatment of hematologic malignancies have highlighted the need for manufacturing processes that are robust and scalable for product commercialization. Here we review some of the more outstanding issues surrounding commercial scale manufacturing of personalized-adoptive T-cell medicinal products. These include closed system operations, improving process robustness and simplifying work flows, reducing labor intensity by implementing process automation, scalability and cost, as well as appropriate testing and tracking of products, all while maintaining strict adherence to Current Good Manufacturing Practices and regulatory guidelines. A decentralized manufacturing model is proposed, where in the future patients' cells could be processed at the point-of-care in the hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
- A D Kaiser
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | - B Schröder
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - M Meyer
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - R Orentas
- Lentigen Technology Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - U Bethke
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - B Dropulic
- Lentigen Technology Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA
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Sorg N, Poppe C, Bunos M, Wingenfeld E, Hümmer C, Krämer A, Stock B, Seifried E, Bonig H. Red blood cell depletion from bone marrow and peripheral blood buffy coat: a comparison of two new and three established technologies. Transfusion 2015; 55:1275-82. [PMID: 25647556 DOI: 10.1111/trf.13001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Red blood cell (RBC) depletion is a standard technique for preparation of ABO-incompatible bone marrow transplants (BMTs). Density centrifugation or apheresis are used successfully at clinical scale. The advent of a bone marrow (BM) processing module for the Spectra Optia (Terumo BCT) provided the initiative to formally compare our standard technology, the COBE2991 (Ficoll, manual, "C") with the Spectra Optia BMP (apheresis, semiautomatic, "O"), the Sepax II NeatCell (Ficoll, automatic, "S"), the Miltenyi CliniMACS Prodigy density gradient separation system (Ficoll, automatic, "P"), and manual Ficoll ("M"). C and O handle larger product volumes than S, P, and M. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Technologies were assessed for RBC depletion, target cell (mononuclear cells [MNCs] for buffy coats [BCs], CD34+ cells for BM) recovery, and cost/labor. BC pools were simultaneously purged with C, O, S, and P; five to 18 BM samples were sequentially processed with C, O, S, and M. RESULTS Mean RBC removal with C was 97% (BCs) or 92% (BM). From both products, O removed 97%, and P, S, and M removed 99% of RBCs. MNC recovery from BC (98% C, 97% O, 65% P, 74% S) or CD34+ cell recovery from BM (92% C, 90% O, 67% S, 70% M) were best with C and O. Polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) were depleted from BCs by P, S, and C, while O recovered 50% of PMNs. Time savings compared to C or M for all tested technologies are considerable. CONCLUSION All methods are in principle suitable and can be selected based on sample volume, available technology, and desired product specifications beyond RBC depletion and MNC and/or CD34+ cell recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Sorg
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt
| | - Carolin Poppe
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt
| | - Milica Bunos
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt
| | - Eva Wingenfeld
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt
| | - Christiane Hümmer
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt
| | - Ariane Krämer
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt
| | - Belinda Stock
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Erhard Seifried
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt.,Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Halvard Bonig
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Institute Frankfurt.,Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Medicine/Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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38
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Manufacture of T cells using the Sleeping Beauty system to enforce expression of a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor. Cancer Gene Ther 2015; 22:95-100. [PMID: 25591810 DOI: 10.1038/cgt.2014.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
T cells can be reprogrammed to redirect specificity to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) through the enforced expression of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The prototypical CAR is a single-chain molecule that docks with TAA expressed on the cell surface and, in contrast to the T-cell receptor complex, recognizes target cells independent of human leukocyte antigen. The bioprocessing to generate CAR(+) T cells has been reduced to clinical practice based on two common steps that are accomplished in compliance with current good manufacturing practice. These are (1) gene transfer to stably integrate the CAR using viral and nonviral approaches and (2) activating the T cells for proliferation by crosslinking CD3 or antigen-driven numeric expansion using activating and propagating cells (AaPCs). Here, we outline our approach to nonviral gene transfer using the Sleeping Beauty system and the selective propagation of CD19-specific CAR(+) T cells on AaPCs.
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Sim GC, Chacon J, Haymaker C, Ritthipichai K, Singh M, Hwu P, Radvanyi L. Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Therapy for Melanoma: Rationale and Issues for Further Clinical Development. BioDrugs 2014; 28:421-37. [DOI: 10.1007/s40259-014-0097-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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