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Singapore General Hospital team develops platform to manufacture special T-cells to fight a variety of cancers, with early study showing promise.
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Gamma delta T-cells are specialised immune cells that naturally detect and destroy cancerous cells. By using umbilical cord blood, Singapore General Hospital researchers found a way to generate these powerful cells at scale, opening new possibilities for cancer treatment.
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Unlike adult-derived cells, gamma delta T-cells from umbilical cord blood are more potent and adaptable. Researchers found they can target a wide range of solid and blood cancers, while also working alongside existing cancer drugs to improve treatment effectiveness.
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The team's proprietary platform can manufacture large quantities of cancer-targeting T-cells in under two weeks. The cells can then be frozen and stored until needed, making future off-the-shelf immunotherapies more accessible, affordable and readily available for patients.
The research team is preparing for a Phase 1 clinical trial involving patients with leukaemia and lymphoma while refining manufacturing processes with ACTRIS, Singapore's national cell therapy facility.
The breakthrough addresses a longstanding challenge in cancer immunotherapy: producing enough effective gamma delta T-cells for clinical use. Using more than 20 clinical-grade umbilical cord blood samples, researchers successfully demonstrated a scalable manufacturing platform capable of producing highly potent immune cells.
These cells not only target a broad range of cancers but can also be combined with existing drugs to enhance cancer cell destruction. By creating cost-efficient, off-the-shelf cell therapies that can be stored and used when required, the platform could help make advanced cancer treatments more widely available in the future.
This article was first published on 23 February 2024.
“Umbilical cord blood-derived GDT-cells are akin to young warriors, potentially having longer-lasting effects and being more adaptable to take on additional functions.”
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