NK-Cell Biofactory as an Off-the-Shelf Cell-based Vector for Targeted In Situ Synthesis of Engineered Proteins

The NK-92MI, a fast-growing cytolytic cell line with a track record of exerting clinical efficacy, is transformed into a vector for synthesizing calibrated amounts of desired engineered proteins at our disease site, that is, NK-cell Biofactory. This provides an allogeneic option to the previously published T-cell-based living vector that is limited by high manufacturing cost and product variability. The modularity of this pathway, which combines a "target" receptor with an "effector" function, enables reprogramming of the NK-cell Biofactory to target diseases with specific molecular biomarkers, such as cancer, viral infections, or auto-immune disorders, and overcome barriers that may affect the advancement of NK-cell therapies.