[Development of universal off-the-shelf T cell therapies derived from ES/iPS cells for leukemia and COVID-19].

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy using patient-derived T cells genetically modified in vitro has been demonstrated to be effective. However, issues such as cost, time, and unstable quality must be resolved. To overcome these barriers, we developed the TCR-PS cell method, in which a specific TCR gene is introduced into pluripotent stem cells (PS cells), such as ES cells or iPS cells, and T cells are generated from those PS cells. We are currently preparing for a clinical trial in acute myeloid leukemia, targeting the WT1 antigen, with iPS cells provided by the CiRA Foundation as the starting material. In parallel, we are also investigating this approach for viral infections and preparing for clinical trials in COVID-19, with HLA-deficient ES cells as the starting material. This method should enable stockpiling of T cell therapies against known viruses such as SARS or avian influenza. Even for outbreaks caused by unknown viruses, it should be possible to produce T cell therapies within 100 days after the virus genome is defined.