Harnessing bioengineered myeloid progenitors for precision immunotherapies

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cell Therapy
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Granulocytes and macrophages are critical innate immune cells, vital for pathogen clearance and immune regulation.
• Deficiencies in these myeloid cells, seen in neonatal sepsis and post-chemotherapy agranulocytosis, increase infection susceptibility.
• Engineered myeloid cells present novel therapeutic avenues beyond simple cell replacement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review biotherapeutic innovations using engineered myeloid progenitors.
• To address challenges in sourcing, cost, and production of these cell therapies.
• To outline a roadmap for future development.

Main Methods:

• Review of current and future biotherapeutic innovations.
• Focus on engineered multipotent myeloid progenitors.
• Derivation from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) or primary CD34+ hematopoietic stem-progenitors.

Main Results:

• Engineered myeloid cells can be utilized for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents (biocidal, anti-inflammatory).
• Potential for myeloid cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) to enhance tumor killing.
• Exploitation of neutrophil homing for localized treatment strategies.

Conclusions:

• Engineered myeloid cell therapies hold significant promise for treating infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.
• Overcoming limitations in cell sourcing, cost, and production is key to clinical translation.
• Utilizing hiPSC and CD34+ progenitors offers scalable solutions for generating these advanced cell therapies.