Methods for Generating Antigen-Specific T Memory Stem Cells

UM File # 4226

Background
Adoptive T cell immunotherapy has shown its potent effect on inducing tumor regression. However, currently available technologies for generating tumor-reactive T cells primarily result in rapid terminal differentiation of the activated T cells, leading to the diminishment of adoptively transferred T cells and inefficacy to kill tumor cells in vivo. As such, lack of methods to generate avid tumor-reactive T cells that are capable of persisting in the tumor-bearing host remains the major barrier to the success of immunotherapy.

Technology Description
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a method to generate antigen-specific T memory stem cells. These T memory stem cells have superior ability to persist in vivo after adoptive transfer and subsequently generate all subsets of effectors and memory T cells specific to the cognate antigen. This method represents a novel and attractive approach that can be used for developing effective immunotherapy for the treatment of cancers and infectious diseases. Patent protection has been filed for this technology.

Applications
• Effective immunotherapy for cancers and infectious diseases

Advantages
• Adoptively transferred cells can persist in vivo and undergo homeostatic proliferation

File Number: 4226