NCI Surgery Branch Seeks Partner for Combination of Vaccine with Cell Therapy for Treatment of Cancer

Overview

The NCI Surgery Branch (SB) is seeking a partner to provide a GMP-grade vaccine directed against cancer neo-antigens, either private (patient-specific neo-antigens) or shared common tumor antigens (such as KRAS or P-53). The vaccine would target the same neo-antigens found in the engineered peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) or tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) which will be isolated and characterized using NCI proprietary methods. 

Partnership Goal

Conducting a Phase I human clinical trial for solid cancers.

NCI Surgery Branch Contributions to Proposed Collaboration

• Extensive expertise in the latest technology of TIL development, as well as T-cell receptor (TCR) -transduced PBL development using NCI proprietary methodologies.
• Ability to provide GMP-Grade TIL’s or PBL’s to be combined with the vaccine.
• Recruitment of patients and conduct of trial at NCI.

Needed Collaborator Capabilities

• An industry partner with expertise in this area of vaccine manufacture to provide the GMP-grade vaccine to be used in combination with the NCI engineered T cells. 

The Investigator

Dr. Steven Rosenberg has pioneered the development of effective immunotherapies for patients with advanced cancer. His studies of cell transfer immunotherapy using tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have resulted in durable complete remissions in patients with advanced solid cancers. He has also pioneered the development of gene therapy and was the first to successfully insert foreign genes into humans. His recent studies of the adoptive transfer of genetically modified lymphocytes using chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) or conventional T-cell receptors (TCR) have resulted in the regression of metastatic cancer in patients with lymphomas and solid cancers. His current research is aimed at defining the host immune response of patients to their cancers. These studies emphasize the ability of human lymphocytes to recognize unique cancer antigens and the identification of anti-tumor T-cell receptors that can be exploited to develop new cell transfer immunotherapies. As Chief, Dr. Rosenberg also oversees the Branch’s extensive clinical program aimed at translating scientific advances into effective immunotherapies for patients with advanced cancers arising from the breast, gastrointestinal tract, and pancreas.

Next Steps

Companies interested in learning more about this partnering opportunity can contact Aida.Cremesti@nih.gov, Senior Technology Transfer Manager, NCI Technology Transfer Center.