Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Manufacturing: An Evolving out of Body Experience

Proposed Session Description: Engineered T cell therapies have revolutionized the management of several hematologic malignancies and are poised to do the same for an expanding set of disease indications including non-hematologic malignancies, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplantation. Successes using TCR- and CAR-based T cell therapies has spurred research and development in this field at a furious pace. These efforts address all aspects of the therapies including CAR/TCR design, target antigen selection, a variety of cell augmentation approaches, improved safety, and cell manufacturing/drug delivery approaches, to name a few.

After a brief introduction to the field (introduction by session chair), the speakers will dive right in to tackle issues related to T cell manufacturing. One speaker will begin by describing aspects of ex-vivo T cell manufacturing starting with the current state-of-the art. The speaker will then present published and unpublished data describing advances in ex-vivo manufacturing that are aimed at making therapeutic T cells that are more potent, and manufacturing them more quickly and at lower cost. These advances are already being tested in early-phase trials and, therefore, will likely affect several stake-holders in the near future.

Another speaker will then present exciting advances in the area of “in-vivo” T cell production that is significantly re-shaping the way we think about CAR T cells. Advances in this, already broad, area promises to democratize access to CAR T therapies and vastly expand the indication landscape of T cell therapies. Approaches discussed will include in vivo virus-based methods and mRNA-LNP modalities, both of which have entered clinical evaluation.

Altogether, this session aims to bring the audience up-to-speed with an important facet of T cell therapy. The focus on manufacturing is thoughtfully selected for an AABB audience as it is expected to 1) interest physicians and scientists in our field as treatment indications expand into transfusion medicine and 2) educate multiple professionals who are currently directly and indirectly involved in the delivery of these therapies.