Considerations in T Cell Therapy Product Development for B Cell Leukemia and Lymphoma Immunotherapy

Based on laboratory and clinical research findings and investments in immunotherapy by many institutions in academia, government-funded laboratories, and industry, there is tremendous and deserved excitement in the field of cell and gene therapy. In particular, understanding of immune-mediated control of cancer has created opportunities to develop new forms of therapies based on engineered T cells. Unlike conventional drugs or biologics, the source material for these new therapies is collected from the patient or donor. The next step is commonly either enrichment to deplete unwanted cells, or methods to positively select T cells prior to polyclonal expansion or antigen-specific expansion. As the first generation of engineered T cell therapies have demonstrated proof of concept, the next stages of development will require the integration of automated technologies to enable more consistent manufacturing and the ability to produce therapies for more patients.