World’s First Engineered T Cell Receptor Trial Opens with New Cellular Therapy for HIV

"Researchers at Adaptimmune Limited and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, today announced the approval of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and opening for enrollment of the first ever study using patients’ cells carrying an engineered T cell receptor to treat HIV (SL9  HA-GAG-TCR). The trial may have important implications in the development of new treatments for HIV potentially slowing – or even preventing – the onset of AIDS.

Related Images

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  “Bionic assassins” A new version of killer T cell receptors is added to natural T cell receptors, isolated from a patient, to produce enhanced killer T cells.  These “bionic assassins” have been proven to destroy HIV-infected cells in the laboratory. (Click for larger version.)
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  The T Cell Processing Laboratory for the Generation of Engineered T cells Designed to Fight HIV Infection – Cell sorting. Patient cells are separated out to focus on the population best suited for targeting the HIV-infected cells.  They are then carefully expanded and prepared using the modified T cell receptor. (Click to download high-resolution version.)
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  The T Cell Processing Laboratory for the Generation of Engineered T cells Designed to Fight HIV Infection – Final harvesting. After a period in culture, the patient’s cells are harvested, extensively tested and then re-administered to the patient. (Click to download high-resolution version.)

Related Links

• 2008 News Release: Engineered Killer T-Cell Recognizes HIV-1’s Lethal Molecular Disguises
• University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
• University of Pennsylvania Health System

Information for Patients

• HIV-infected patients interested in learning more about the trial should contact Larisa Zifchak at: +1 215-349-8091 (larisa.zifchak@uphs.upenn.edu)

The trial makes use of the body’s natural ability to recognize infected cells by enhancing the power of the T cell receptor (TCR) on killer T cells. ...

Last year, with colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, theyengineered and tested a killer T-cell receptor that can recognize all the different disguises HIV is known to have used to evade detection. The researchers transferred this receptor to the killer T-cells to create genetically engineered "bionic assassins" able to destroy HIV-infected cells in culture. Now, less than a year later, they are taking their unique technology into the clinic. ..."

Read more in Penn Medicine News, October 7, 2009.