Company Successfully Transfers T-Cell Receptor Genetic Material into Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells
ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a Los Angeles-based clinical stage immuno-oncology company, has achieved an important milestone toward initiating pre-clinical trials of its Stem-to-T-Cell approach to cancer therapy.
ImmunoCellular Therapeutics has verified the successful transfer of selected T-cell receptor genetic material into human hematopoietic stem cells. This milestone is a key component of the ongoing proof-of-concept work that ImmunoCellular Therapeutics is conducting for its Stem-to-T-Cell technology.
Steven J. Swanson, PhD, ImmunoCellular Therapeutics’ Senior Vice President of Research, stated, “We are excited to have achieved this critical next milestone in our Stem-to-T-Cell program. We and our collaborators are now working to design and implement the necessary animal studies to complete our proof-of-concept work.”
ImmunoCellular’s Stem-to-T-Cell technology seeks to stimulate the patient’s immune system to produce an unlimited supply of killer T cells that specifically target and destroy cancerous tumor cells. Based on technology in-licensed from The California Institute of Technology,
ImmunoCellular’s Stem-to-T-Cell therapy harvests stem cells from cancer patients and clones them into T-cell receptors specifically for cancer cells. These engineered stem cells, which are pre-programmed to produce daughter cells of antigen-specific killer T cells, can then be reintroduced into the patient. The immortality of stem cells raises the possibility that these reengineered stem cells could provide a natural and perpetual source of T cells to target and destroy a patient’s cancer cells. The Stem-to-T-Cell platform has the potential to address many types of cancer, including both solid and hematological tumors, and potentially may result in a curative therapy for many different types of cancer.
Anthony J. Gringeri, PhD, is the President and CEO of ImmunoCellular Therapeutics. He commented, “We are pleased with the continued generation of scientific validation of our Stem-to-T-Cell program. Continued testing of our novel immuno-oncology technology may elucidate how it can be applied in a real-world therapeutic setting, and lead the way toward conducting clinical trials, including potential exploration of combination with other approaches.”
In upcoming news, ImmunoCellular Therapeutics is presenting at the NYC Oncology Investor Conference, occurring on May 8-9 at the office of Wilson Sonsini in New York City. Learn more and register to attend the conference at www.nyconcologyconference.com.
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