Cell Therapy News Volume 20.17 | May 13 2019

TOP STORY

First-Line Therapy with Donor-Derived HCMV-Specific T Cells Reduces Persistent HCMV Infection by Promoting Antiviral Immunity after Allogenic Stem Cell Transplantation

The authors evaluated the safety and efficacy of donor-derived human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific cytotoxic T cells as a first-line therapy for HCMV infection after allo-stem cell transplantation and investigated the underlying mechanisms. [Clin Infect Dis] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Optimizing PLG Nanoparticle-Peptide Delivery Platforms for Transplantation Tolerance Using an Allogeneic Skin Transplant Model

Scientists used a B6.C-H-2^bm12 to C57BL/6(B6) skin transplant model involving a defined major histocompatibility antigen mismatch to investigate design parameters of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) nanoparticles delivering peptides containing the donor antigen for optimizing skin allograft survival. [Biomaterials] Abstract

Engineering Antigen‐Specific Natural Killer Cell Lines against the Melanoma‐Associated Antigen Tyrosinase via TCR Gene Transfer

The introduction of a T cell receptor (TCR) complex to natural killer cell lines enabled MHC‐restricted, antigen‐specific killing of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract

Pharmacological Mobilization and Recruitment of Stem Cells in Rats Stops Abdominal Adhesions after Laparotomy

Researchers showed that entraining endogenous stem cells into injury sites using the combined effect of AMD3100 and low-dose FK-506 could reduce the adhesion score significantly and abolish peritoneal adhesions in 45% of animals in a rat model of severe postsurgical intra-abdominal adhesions, compared with saline controls. [Sci Rep] Full Article

In Vivo Regeneration of Interspecies Chimeric Kidneys Using a Nephron Progenitor Cell Replacement System

By transplanting exogeneous nephron progenitor cells (NPCs) into the metanephric mesenchyme of a xenogeneic fetus, investigators aimed to regenerate neo-kidneys that originated from transplanted NPCs. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Resveratrol Increases Stem Cell Function in the Treatment of Damaged Pancreas

The authors investigated if adipose‐derived stem cells, preconditioned with resveratrol, show better effects on experimental diabetic animals. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Immunogenicity Analysis of Decellularized Cardiac Scaffolds after Transplantation into Rats

Scientists transplanted Lewis rats with syngeneic, allogeneic or xenogeneic decellularized cardiac scaffolds. Acute vascular and cellular rejection was quantified by immunohistochemistry and immune cell infiltration. [Regen Med] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Down-Regulation of 14-3-3zeta Reduces Proliferation and Increases Apoptosis in Human Glioblastoma

14-3-3zeta RNAi reduced cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, decreased the invasive capability and colony-formation, and impaired the growth of glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. [Cancer Gene Ther] Abstract

Ex Vivo Gene Therapy: Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) in NSG™ (NOD.Cg-Prkdc^scid Il2rg^tm1Wjl/SzJ) Mice Transplanted with CD34⁺ Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells

A 12-week study was conducted in NSG™ mice to evaluate engraftment, differentiation, and safety of human CD34⁺ cells that were transduced with a proprietary lentiviral vector encoding a human gene or a mock vector. [Toxicol Pathol] Abstract

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Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Hemorrhagic Stroke: Status of Preclinical and Clinical Research

The authors review the current studies focusing on mesenchymal stem/stromal cell therapy for hemorrhagic stroke in an effort to summarize the status of preclinical and clinical research. [npj Regen Med] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the cell therapy research field.

Magenta Therapeutics Presents Updated Phase II Clinical Data on MGTA-456 Cell Therapy

Magenta Therapeutics announced that the company presented Phase II clinical data on its cell therapy, MGTA-456. [Press release from Magenta Therapeutics discussing research presented at the 2019 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, Philadelphia] Press Release

uniQure Announces Featured Presentations of New Data on Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3

uniQure N.V. presented preclinical data on its gene therapy candidate, AMT-150, for the treatment of Spinocerebellar Ataxia 3. [Press release from uniQure N.V. discussing research presented at the 2019 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, Philadelphia] Press Release

ExCellThera Enters into a Manufacturing and Collaboration Agreement with New York Blood Center

ExCellThera Inc. announced that it has entered into a manufacturing and collaboration agreement with Comprehensive Cell Solutions, a division of New York Blood Center for the clinical grade production of ExCellThera’s lead cell therapy product, ECT-001. [ExCellThera Inc.] Press Release

Clinical Trial Underway for a Natural Killer Cell Therapy

In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, a natural killer cell immunotherapy derived from induced pluripotent stem cells is being tested for safety in 64 patients with a variety of solid tumors. The first patients received the cells in February at the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center. [The Scientist] Editorial

Promethera Biosciences Announces First-Dosing in Phase IIa Clinical Study Evaluating World’s First Liver Stem Cell Therapy in Late-Stage NASH Patients

Promethera Biosciences SA announced the dosing of a first patient in a Phase IIa clinical study for the company’s HepaStem development program in patients with late stage non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). [Promethera Biosciences SA] Press Release

uniQure Announces Updated Clinical Data from Phase IIb Study of AMT-061 in Patients with Hemophilia B

uniQure N.V. announced updated clinical data in patients treated in the company’s ongoing Phase IIb study of AMT-061, an investigational AAV5-based gene therapy containing a patent-protected FIX-Padua variant, for the treatment of patients with severe and moderately severe hemophilia B. [uniQure N.V.] Press Release

MaxCyte Progresses Phase I Clinical Trial of Lead mRNA-based Cell Therapy from its CARMA™ Platform

MaxCyte announced that it has initiated dosing for the second cohort of patients in its US Phase I clinical trial with MCY-M11, the lead, wholly-owned, non-viral mRNA-based cell therapy candidate from its CARMA platform. MCY-M11 is a mesothelin-targeting chimeric antigen receptor therapy being tested in individuals with relapsed/refractory ovarian cancer and peritoneal mesothelioma. [MaxCyte, Inc.] Press Release

Transgene Receives FDA IND Clearance for Lead myvac™ Individualized Immunotherapy, TG4050, to Commence Clinical Development in Ovarian Cancer

Transgene announced that it has received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the FDA to proceed with a Phase I clinical trial of its lead myvac™ candidate TG4050 as a potential treatment for ovarian cancer patients after first-line surgery and chemotherapy. [Transgene] Press Release

BioTime Awarded $2.5 Million Grant from the Israel Innovation Authority for Continued Development of OpRegen^®

BioTime, Inc. has been awarded a new research & development grant for 2019 of up to 9 million Israeli New Shekels from the Israel Innovation Authority. [BioTime, Inc.] Press Release

ElevateBio Launches to Create and Operate a Portfolio of Highly Innovative Cell and Gene Therapy Companies

ElevateBio announced operations to create and build a broad portfolio of cell and gene therapy companies through partnerships with leading academic researchers, medical centers and entrepreneurs. [ElevateBio (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

Poseida Therapeutics Receives US FDA Orphan Drug Designation for P-BCMA-101 for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma

Poseida Therapeutics Inc. announced the FDA has granted orphan drug designation to P-BCMA-101 for the treatment of relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma. [Poseida Therapeutics Inc.] Press Release

German Ethics Council Expresses Openness to Eventual Embryo Editing

A panel of government-appointed experts in Germany agreed unanimously that the human germline — DNA that is inherited by children from their parents — “is not inviolable,” rejecting one objection to using genome editing technologies such as CRISPR to make heritable changes in the DNA of human embryos, sperm, or eggs. [STAT News] Editorial

Academics Raise Concerns About Predatory Journals on PubMed

The National Library of Medicine has quality control procedures in place, but some researchers believe additional scrutiny is necessary. [The Scientist] Editorial

Intolerance and Funding Concern Indian Scientists Ahead of Election

A rising intolerance towards intellectuals and minority groups in India has prompted scientists there to speak out ahead of the country’s mammoth general election. More than 200 scientists have signed an open letter appealing to citizens to reject the discrimination and violence being promoted by some extremist groups. [Nature News] Editorial

Brazilian Biomedical Science Faces Reproducibility Test

An ambitious project to test the reproducibility of biomedical experiments by Brazilian scientists is about to get under way. The Brazilian Reproducibility Initiative was launched last year by researchers at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Now, the first wave of reproducibility testing is set to begin in August, with help from more than 60 laboratories scattered over 43 Brazilian research centers. [Nature News] Editorial

US Lawmakers Propose Plan to Reduce Primate Research at National Institutes of Health

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) would be required to reduce its use of non-human primates in research, under a spending bill approved on 8 May by a committee in the US House of Representatives. The bill would direct the NIH “to accelerate efforts to reduce and replace the use of nonhuman primates with alternative research models” in its laboratories. [Nature News] Editorial

FDA

FDA’s Efforts to Advance the Development of Gene Therapy (FR Doc. No:fda-voices-perspectives-fda-experts) Notice

NEW European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2019 Congress
September 27-October 1, 2019
Barcelona, Spain

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Tregs & Cell Therapy (INSERM)

Stem Cell Podcast Co-Host (Stem Cell Podcast)

Postdoctoral Position – Biomedical Engineering (US Food and Drug Administration)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Translational Gene Therapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cancer Immunology (Winship Cancer Institute)

DPhil Scholarship – Retinal Gene Therapy (University of Oxford)

Director of Research – Division of Translational Medicine & Human Genetics (University of Pennsylvania)

Associate Scientist – Immuno-Oncology (Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery & Innovation)

Cell Therapy Associate III – Cellular Therapeutics (KBI Biopharma)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Single Cell Genomics (BC Cancer Research Center)

Tenure Track Faculty Position – Cancer Biology & Therapeutics (Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Natural Killer Cells, Cancer and Immunotherapy (Dalhousie University)

Assistant/Associate or Professor – Cancer Immunotherapy/Tumor Immunology (University of California, Irvine)

Faculty Positions – Hematology and Oncology (University of California, Davis)

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