B lymphocyte Vaccines for Cancer
- Detailed Technology Description
- Researchers have developed the use of invitro activated B lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) as a cellularvaccine to fight tumor growth by harvesting B lymphocytes from a patient’sblood sample, then activating these cells in the laboratory via stimuli whichincludes material from the patient’s tumor. The stimulated B cells are then injectedback into the patient, where they serve to activate an immune response thatworks to kill the tumor. The technologyprovides a simpler, more feasible and effective alternative to the current useof dendritic cells as cellular vaccines for cancer.
- *Abstract
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Patentinformation:
Patentapplication currently on file with the USPTO (Serial No. 62/132,316).
Background Information
Cancer affects approximately 14.5million people in the United States. Immunotherapy is a cancer therapythat stimulates the patient's immune system to kill tumor cells. Cancer vaccines are made up of cancercells, parts of cells, or pure antigens. Once the vaccine is ready, it isinjected into the body to increase the immune response against cancercells.
Currenttechniques for immunotherapy of cancer rely on use of a patient’s dendriticcells for a vaccine. However, despite promise in preclinical models, humantrials have been disappointing. A major problem is that it ischallenging to obtain sufficient numbers of dendritic cells for effectivenessas these cells are not common in the body and cannot be replicated outside the body using currenttechniques. Researchers have discovered that a promising alternative is Bcells, abundant in the blood and easily expanded in culture.
Technology Summary
Researchers have developed the use of invitro activated B lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) as a cellularvaccine to fight tumor growth by harvesting B lymphocytes from a patient’sblood sample, then activating these cells in the laboratory via stimuli whichincludes material from the patient’s tumor. The stimulated B cells are then injectedback into the patient, where they serve to activate an immune response thatworks to kill the tumor. The technologyprovides a simpler, more feasible and effective alternative to the current useof dendritic cells as cellular vaccines for cancer.
Advantages
· Easeof production.
o Itis easier to isolate B cells from blood than dendritic cells currently used forimmunotherapy.
o Bcells reproduce more easily than dendritic cells.
· Reducedrisk.
o Isolationof cells from a patient during activation of B lymphocytes reduces the risksassociated with current stimulation methods.
- *Licensing
- Zev SunleafExecutive DirectorUniversity of Iowa Research FoundationPhone: 319-335-4155zev-sunleaf@uiowa.eduZev SunleafExecutive DirectorUniversity of Iowa Research FoundationPhone: 319-335-4155zev-sunleaf@uiowa.edu
- Country/Region
- USA
