Patent ID: 8877182
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: A61P,C12N

Abstract:
1. A method of obtaining expanded and activated natural killer (NK) cells with the phenotype CD3 − CD56 + and NK-like T cells with the phenotype CD3 + CD56 + , said method comprising: i) providing a cell sample of peripheral blood from a tumour bearing subject; ii) isolating cells from said blood sample and re-suspending the cells in growth medium; iii) adding the isolated cells to a closed cell culture bag bioreactor at a concentration of about 0.5×10 iv) incubating and expanding the cells in the bioreactor with rocking motion agitation and heating until at least 50% of the expanded cell population comprises activated NK cells and NK-like T cells; and v) harvesting said expanded cell suspension of activated NK-cells and NK-like T cells from said bioreactor, wherein said harvested expanded and activated NK-cells and NK-like T cells (1) exhibit an at least three fold increase in cytotoxicity compared to freshly isolated donor cells as determined by an in vitro cytotoxicity test with K562 cells as target cells at an effector to target cell ratio of 10:1, and (2) express NKp44 at an at least two fold higher level compared to activated natural killer cells with the phenotype CD3