Treating Liver Cancer with Specially Trained Immune Cells

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.

What it covers

This patent describes a method for treating hepatocellular cancer, a type of liver cancer, by administering activated T cells to a patient. These T cells are specifically designed to kill cancer cells that display a particular peptide, KVLEHVVRV (SEQ ID NO: 1), on their surface, bound to an MHC class I molecule (claim 1). The activated T cells can be created in two main ways: either by genetically modifying T cells with a specific T cell receptor (TCR) that recognizes the target peptide (claim 2), or by training T cells outside the body using special 'antigen presenting cells' that display the peptide (claim 3). The treatment can also include giving additional helper medicines, called adjuvants, such as IL-2, IL-7, or IL-15, to boost the immune response (claim 4). For example, a patient with hepatocellular cancer could receive an infusion of their own T cells, modified in a lab to target the KVLEHVVRV peptide found on their tumor cells.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover treating cancers other than hepatocellular cancer.
• —Does not cover targeting cancer cells with peptides other than KVLEHVVRV (SEQ ID NO: 1).
• —Does not cover methods where the T cells do not bind the target peptide in a complex with an MHC class I molecule.
• —Does not cover cancer immunotherapies that do not involve administering activated T cells, such as traditional vaccines using the peptide alone.

The clever bit

The novelty lies in identifying a specific peptide, KVLEHVVRV, as a target for T cells in hepatocellular cancer, and then outlining precise methods to activate T cells to recognize this peptide when presented by MHC class I molecules on tumor cells.

Why it matters

Hepatocellular cancer is a challenging disease to treat, and targeted immunotherapies offer new hope. This patent focuses on a highly specific approach, using the body's own immune system, specifically T cells, to identify and destroy cancer cells based on a unique marker. Such targeted therapies aim to reduce side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy by focusing the attack directly on tumor cells.

Real-world examples

• 1.TCR-T cell therapies for solid tumors
• 2.CAR-T cell therapies (a related but distinct approach)
• 3.Personalized cancer immunotherapies