Training Immune Cells to Fight Cancer Using Specific Markers

This patent describes a method to create a powerful immune response against cancer by taking a patient's own T cells, teaching them to recognize specific cancer markers outside the body, and then putting them back to kill cancer cells.

What it covers

The patent describes a method to fight cancer by using specially trained T cells. First, T cells are taken, often from the patient themselves (Claim 2). These T cells are then "taught" outside the body (Claim 11) to recognize specific small protein pieces, called peptides (SEQ ID NO: 1-5, 7-10), that are found on cancer cells. This teaching happens by exposing the T cells to these peptides presented on special "antigen-presenting cells" (Claim 1) using a human class I MHC molecule. This process activates the T cells. Once activated, these T cells are multiplied (Claim 5) and then given back to the patient (Claim 1) to seek out and destroy cancer cells that display these specific peptides. For example, a patient with lung cancer could have their T cells trained to recognize a lung cancer-specific peptide and then re-infused to attack the tumor.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover methods where T cells are activated inside the patient's body without ex vivo manipulation.
• —Does not cover immunotherapies that do not involve administering activated T cells (e.g., traditional chemotherapy or radiation).
• —Does not cover T cell therapies that target cancer cells using different recognition mechanisms, such as CAR T cells which recognize whole proteins, not specific MHC-presented peptides.
• —Does not cover methods using peptides other than those specifically listed (SEQ ID NO: 1-5, 7-10) for T cell activation.
• —Does not cover methods where the T cells are not activated by a peptide loaded onto a human class I MHC molecule on an antigen-presenting cell.

The clever bit

The novelty lies in precisely defining the specific tumor-associated peptides (SEQ ID NOs) that can be used to activate T cells ex vivo via class I MHC molecules, ensuring these T cells then selectively target a broad range of cancer types. This provides a blueprint for a targeted cellular immunotherapy.

Why it matters

This patent is significant because it provides a specific method for developing personalized T-cell immunotherapies for various cancers. By identifying and using specific tumor-associated peptides, it aims to make the immune response highly targeted and effective. This approach is part of a broader shift in cancer treatment towards therapies that harness the body's own defenses.

Real-world examples

• 1.TCR-T cell therapies
• 2.Adoptive cell transfer therapies
• 3.Personalized cancer vaccines (in development)
• 4.Ex vivo T cell expansion protocols