# 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. - **Patent:** US 10377797 - **Original title:** Cell epitopes and combination of cell epitopes for use in the immunotherapy of myeloma and other cancers - **Owner:** Immatics Biotechnologies - **Granted:** 2019 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 5 - **Field:** biotech, pharmaceutical, oncology ## What it does 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 does NOT 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. ## 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 ## 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. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Training Immune Cells to Fight Cancer Using Specific Markers cover? 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. ### Who owns patent US 10377797? Immatics Biotechnologies owns this patent, granted in 2019. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on November 20, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 10377797 cited by? This patent has been cited by 5 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? 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. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover methods where T cells are activated inside the patient's body without ex vivo manipulation. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10377797/cell-epitopes-and-combination-of-cell-epitopes-for-use-in-the-immunotherapy-of-m **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10377797 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [Using Specific Immune Cells to Fight Cancers Like Lung and Breast Cancer](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11407807/peptides-and-combination-of-peptides-for-use-in-immunotherapy-against-various-tu) — This patent describes a method to treat specific cancers, including lung, breast, and ovarian cancer, by giving patients their own immune cells (T cells) that have been trained to recognize and destroy cancer cells presenting a unique protein fragment. - [How a Specific Protein Fragment Can Train Immune Cells to Fight Cancer](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10314897/peptides-and-combination-of-peptides-for-use-in-immunotherapy-against-various-ca) — This patent describes methods to fight various cancers by using a specific protein fragment (peptide LYHDIFSRL) to train a patient's immune cells to recognize and attack tumor cells. - [Training Immune Cells to Fight Specific Cancers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10364282/peptides-and-combination-of-peptides-for-use-in-immunotherapy-against-esophageal) — This patent describes a method to treat specific cancers like esophageal or lung cancer by creating specialized immune cells in the lab and giving them to patients to kill cancer cells that display a particular protein fragment. - [Treating Liver Cancer with Specially Trained Immune Cells](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12168044/peptides-and-combination-of-peptides-for-use-in-immunotherapy-against-non-small-) — This patent describes a method for treating hepatocellular cancer by giving patients specially activated immune cells that are trained to recognize and kill cancer cells displaying a specific protein fragment. - [Targeting Liver and Bile Duct Cancers with Specific Immune Cells](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11560405/peptides-and-combination-thereof-for-use-in-the-immunotherapy-against-cancers-11560405) — This patent describes a method to treat liver and bile duct cancers by using specially activated immune cells that recognize a unique protein fragment found on these cancer cells.