Golay J, Martinelli S, Alzani R, Cribioli S, Albanese C, Gotti E, Pasini B, Mazzanti B, Saccardi R, Rambaldi A, Introna M. Cord blood-derived cytokine-induced killer cells combined with blinatumomab as a therapeutic strategy for CD19
+ tumors.
Cytotherapy 2018;
20:1077-1088. [PMID:
30093325 DOI:
10.1016/j.jcyt.2018.06.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Cytokine-induced killer cells (CIKs) are an advanced therapeutic medicinal product (ATMP) that has shown therapeutic activity in clinical trials but needs optimization. We developed a novel strategy using CIKs from banked cryopreserved cord blood units (CBUs) combined with bispecific antibody (BsAb) blinatumomab to treat CD19+ malignancies.
METHODS
CB-CIKs were expanded in vitro and fully characterized in comparison with peripheral blood (PB)-derived CIKs.
RESULTS
CB-CIKs, like PB-CIKs, were mostly CD3+ T cells with mean 45% CD3+CD56+ and expressing mostly TCR(T cell receptor)αβ with a TH1 phenotype. CB-CIK cultures had, however, a larger proportion of CD4+ cells, mostly CD56-, as well as a greater proportion of naïve CCR7+CD45RA+ and a lower percentage of effector memory cells, compared with PB-CIKs. CB-CIKs were very similar to PB-CIKs in their expression of a large panel of co-stimulatory and inhibitory/exhaustion markers, except for higher CD28 expression among CD8+ cells. Like PB-CIKs, CB-CIKs were highly cytotoxic in vitro against natural killer (NK) cell targets and efficiently lysed CD19+ tumor cells in the presence of blinatumomab, with 30-60% lysis of target cells at very low effector:target ratios. Finally, both CB-CIKs and PB-CIKs, combined with blinatumomab, showed significant therapeutic activity in an aggressive PDX Ph+ CD19+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia model in NOD-SCID mice, without sign of toxicity or graft-versus-host disease. The improved expansion protocol was finally validated in good manufacturing practice conditions, showing reproducible expansion of CIKs from cryopreserved cord blood units with a median of 28.8 × 106 CIK/kg.
DISCUSSION
We conclude that CB-CIKs, combined with bispecific T-cell-engaging antibodies, offer a novel, effective treatment strategy for leukemia.
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