Closed loop bioreactor system for the ex vivo expansion of human T cells

Novel antifungals and treatment approaches to tackle resistance and improve outcomes of invasive fungal disease

SUMMARYFungal infections are on the rise, driven by a growing population at risk and climate change. Currently available antifungals include only five classes, and their utility and efficacy in antifungal treatment are limited by one or more of innate or acquired resistance in some fungi, poor penetration into "sequestered" sites, and agent-specific side effect which require frequent patient reassessment and monitoring. Agents with novel mechanisms, favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles including good oral bioavailability, and fungicidal mechanism(s) are urgently needed. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of novel antifungal agents, with both improved known mechanisms of actions and new antifungal classes, currently in clinical development for treating invasive yeast, mold (filamentous fungi), Pneumocystis jirovecii infections, and dimorphic fungi (endemic mycoses). We further focus on inhaled antifungals and the role of immunotherapy in tackling fungal infections, and the specific PK/pharmacodynamic profiles, tissue distributions as well as drug-drug interactions of novel antifungals. Finally, we review antifungal resistance mechanisms, the role of use of antifungal pesticides in agriculture as drivers of drug resistance, and detail detection methods for antifungal resistance.

Recent Advances in the Development of Bioreactors for Manufacturing of Adoptive Cell Immunotherapies

Harnessing the human immune system as a foundation for therapeutic technologies capable of recognizing and killing tumor cells has been the central objective of anti-cancer immunotherapy. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in improving the effectiveness and accessibility of this technology to make it widely applicable for adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) such as chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells, and many other. Automated, scalable, cost-effective, and GMP-compliant bioreactors for production of ACTs are urgently needed. The primary efforts in the field of GMP bioreactors development are focused on closed and fully automated point-of-care (POC) systems. However, their clinical and industrial application has not yet reached full potential, as there are numerous obstacles associated with delicate balancing of the complex and often unpredictable cell biology with the need for precision and full process control. Here we provide a brief overview of the existing and most advanced systems for ACT manufacturing, including cell culture bags, G-Rex flasks, and bioreactors (rocking motion, stirred-flask, stirred-tank, hollow-fiber), as well as semi- and fully-automated closed bioreactor systems.

Tracking leukemic T-cell transcriptional dynamics in vivo with a blood-based reporter assay

Transcriptional dynamics of cancer cells govern cell fate decisions and are therapeutically actionable drug targets. In this study, we engineered a circulating cancer cell line that secretes a luciferase reporter to capture constitutive and circadian clock-driven transcription dynamics over the course of a day. Engineered human leukemic T cells (Jurkat) were observed to rhythmically secrete luciferase in a continuous flow cell culture system. When transplanted in vivo, engineered leukemic cells caused circadian plasma luciferase activity and had expected pathological signs of leukemic disease. This technique is rapid and noninvasive, requiring only a few microliters of media or blood, and can aid in investigating relationships between in vivo cancer cell signaling and behavior, such as diet or sleep.