Modifying peripheral blood myeloid cells for immunotherapy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Modifying peripheral blood myeloid cells for immunotherapy in vitro and in vivo
IRAS ID
260453
Contact name
Leonard W. Seymour
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
MacrophOx Ltd.
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 3 months, 4 days
Research summary
CAR-T cells have shown successful immunotherapy in patients with haematological cancer. The treatment involves the isolation of patients’ immune cells (T cells), genetic modification outside of the body, then re-infusion back into the patient. However this approach has shown only limited success in treatment of solid tumours. There remains a clear unmet need for carcinoma treatment.
We are developing myeloid cell therapies that can actively engraft into solid tumours and could be more efficacious in a range of solid carcinomas.
in this study we will obtain myeloid cells by isolation of immune cells from the blood donations of healthy volunteers (sourced through the NHS blood and transport service or by local phlebotomy; we would accept healthy donors of all ages). Total number of samples will be less than 200 during the course of the whole study.
Key questions to be addressed include:
- what is the best cGMP-compatible transfection/transduction method for primary myeloid cells?
- what level and duration of transgene expression can be achieved?
- is a 'gearing system' required, to achieve sufficient expression levels?
- what expression system gives the most effective tumour-selective expression of therapeutic agents
- how efficiently do the myeloid cells engraft into tumours in vivo?
- can radiotherapy be used to stimulate engraftment of therapeutic cells within tumours?
- is therapeutic protein produced outside the tumour, and can microRNA sites be used to decrease this?REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EM/0036
Date of REC Opinion
16 Apr 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion