Patent ID: 7666424

Claim:
A method for treating a mammalian subject having a malignant tumor comprising cells expressing a target antigen, the method comprising, contacting a population of cells comprising natural killer cells or T cells with a polynucleotide encoding a chimeric scFv (single chain antibody) directed against a target antigen gp58 which is recognized by antibody 8H9, wherein the chimeric scFv comprises heavy and light chain variable regions from the 8H9 antibody, a transmembrane domain and a signaling domain; culturing the cells under conditions suitable for expressing the chimeric scFv-encoding polynucleotide; contacting cells expressing the chimeric scFV-encoding polynucleotide with an anti-idiotype directed against the chimeric scFv under conditions suitable for binding of the anti-idiotype to the chimeric scFv-expressing cell, thereby stimulating the formation and growth of one or more chimeric scFv-expressing clones; selecting one or more of the chimeric scFv-expressing clones; and introducing the one or more chimeric scFv-expressing clones into the mammalian subject.