Summary: This technology includes methods for the
production of T lymphocytes and Cytotoxic (Natural Killer, or NK)
lymphocytes from uncommitted hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. It begins with
undifferentiated hematopoetic stem cells, cultured under conditions which
promote specification of the lymphocyte lineage. These cells subsequently
progress through the developmental steps, resulting in selective expansion of a
repertoire of immune cells restricted to recognition of foreign antigens, and
expressing functional receptors for recognition of a wide array of such foreign
antigens. These methods provide the potential for intervention to select
against immunologic specificities associated with autoimmunity and
graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Market Applications: Current technologies for
engineering the immune system have largely relied on expansion of pre-existing
mature T cells with specificity against a desired target, or introducing a
specific T cell receptor into expanded mature T cells. These approaches do not
address the need to regulate the immune response in a prospective manner, and to
generate a broad range of immune specificities while prohibiting the development
of alloreactive clones. This technology offers the potential to produce a
functional immune system from a sample of the patient's own bone marrow or from
induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patient
fibroblasts.
Features, Benefit & Advantages:
T lymphocytes and NK
cells with non-specific recognition of a wide array of foreign antigens can be
generated using this approach.
The T lymphocytes can be engineered to select against immunologic
specificities that may eventually lead to autoimmunity, GVHD, or graft
rejection.
Intellectual Property Status: Patent pending. This
technology is part of an active and ongoing research program.
Opportunities exist for developmental research support/licensing under either
exclusive or non-exclusive terms.
