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Supplement strengthening T cells and preventing their exhaustion in the treatment of cancer

Summary

Profile Type
  • Technology offer
POD Reference
TODE20240611018
Term of Validity
12 June 2024 - 12 June 2025
Company's Country
  • Germany
Type of partnership
  • Investment agreement
Targeted Countries
  • All countries
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General information

Short Summary
An invention by a German university offers an efficient therapeutic potential of activated T cells and CAR-T cells for the treatment of cancer, especially solid tumours. The university is offering access to the rights for method development and commercial utilisation of this invention.
Full Description
The concept and advantages of T cells with synthetic antigen-specific T cell receptors (CAR-T cells) are well known in the art and have become a focus of pharmaceutical research and development in recent years. CAR T cells are therapeutically used in individual medicine for the treatment of cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B cell lymphomas. However, the success of these therapies has not yet extended to solid tumors. Solid tumors pose a therapeutic challenge as they generate an immunosuppressive milieu that limits the survival and functionality of immune cells. Therefore, key features which could enable the successful treatment of solid tumors, would be improving the survival and functionality of CAR T cells in the tumor microenvironment.

The invention of a German university is to use a new combination of supplements to stimulate isolated T cells from a patient. T cells or prepared CAR T cells are incubated in a medium comprising the supplements of anti-TCRβ, anti-CD28, IL-2 and an additional inventive cocktail of cytokines. This combination not only leaves an individual activation profile on the cells which can be detected using standard technical methods, but also provides a suitable stimulus for improving the expansion, persistence, and functionality of the cells for tumor therapy, in particular of solid tumors.

The university offers an access to rights for method development and commercial use of this invention to companies of the pharmaceutical industry. This invention also adresses producers of therapeutic supplements or T Cell and immunotherapy cultures.
Advantages and Innovations
. Strong activation and prevention of exhaustion of T cells and CAR T cells

. High specific cytotoxicity and survival rate of activated T cells and CAR T cells

. Efficient therapeutic potential of activated T cells and CAR T cells for the treatment of cancer, especially of solid tumors
Stage of Development
  • Lab tested
Sustainable Development Goals
  • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
IPR status
  • IPR applied but not yet granted
IPR notes
A European patent application has been filed.

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner
The university offers an access to rights for method development and commercial use of this invention to companies of the pharmaceutical industry. This invention also adresses producers of therapeutic supplements or T Cell and immunotherapy cultures.
Type and Size of Partner
  • Big company
  • SME 11-49
  • Other
  • SME 50 - 249
  • SME <=10
Type of partnership
  • Investment agreement

Dissemination

Technology keywords
  • 06001012 - Medical Research
  • 06001003 - Cytology, Cancerology, Oncology
  • 06001015 - Pharmaceutical Products / Drugs
Market keywords
  • 05007002 - Pharmaceuticals/fine chemicals
  • 05005014 - Oncology
Targeted countries
  • All countries

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