Takara Bio is involved in clinical development of a cancer immunotherapy using the RetroNectin® expansion-culture system, as well as providing support for other cancer immunotherapies.
Research and Clinical Development in Cell Therapy
We have already confirmed that the RetroNectin® expansion culture system can efficiently expand lymphocytes in culture, and the cells thus amplified contain a large number of naïve T cells that are still undifferentiated. Naïve T cells learn from the area around a tumor, and are expected to become cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) that are specialized to destroy cancer cells, and which are expected to survive for a prolonged period.
♦Cancer Institute and Hospital (CIH), Chinese Academy of Medical Science. [China]
Takara Bio is progressing with clinical development of adoptive immunotherapy in partnership with the Cancer Institute and Hospital (CIH), Chinese Academy of Medical Science. In December 2005 Takara Biomedical Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., one of the Company’s subsidiaries, and the CIH applied to the Beijing Drug Administration for permission to begin clinical trials of a cancer immunotherapy using the RetroNectin® expansion-culture system to treat renal cancer. This application is currently being reviewed.
♦Mie University School of Medicine [Japan]
The Company and Mie University School of Medicine have reached an agreement for joint development of cancer immunity reconstruction therapy by using human lymphocytes expanded in culture using the RetroNectin® expansion-culture system. This therapy is intended to treat myeloma, esophageal cancer, head and neck cancers, ovarian cancer and other refractory cancers.
Cancer immunity reconstruction therapy is a cancer treatment that uses a combination of highly cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs and autologous lymphocytes that have been expanded in culture using the RetroNectin® expansion-culture system. In other words, blood is taken from a cancer patient, and then it is treated using the RetroNectin® expansion-culture system so as to induce the growth of a large number of lymphocytes. Next, anti-cancer drugs are administered to the patient, which shrinks the cancer but also damages the patient’s lymphocytes. Finally, the prepared lymphocytes, which have not been exposed to the anti-cancer drugs, are re-administered to the patient, helping to reconstruct the immune system.
The cancer cells destroyed by the anti-cancer drugs are consumed by the patient’s antigen-presenting cells, such as macrophages or dendritic cells (DC), resulting in a large number of cancer antigens being presented on the surface of these cell. We believe that this makes it easier to induce CTLs. In short, this therapy is a promising cancer treatment that takes advantage of the large number of naïve T cells that can be expanded in culture using the RetroNectin® expansion-culture system.
♦Green Cross [Korea]
Takara Bio has granted to Green Cross an exclusive license to use RetroNectin® expansion-culture system in clinical development of cancer immunotherapy in Korea. Green Cross will conduct pre-clinical studies and clinical trials of the cancer immunotherapy in Korea. We will provide technical support to the clinical development.
Cancer Institute and Hospital (CIH)
![Mie University School of Medicine [Japan]](img/cont/celltherapy_subpic2.jpg)
Mie University School of Medicine [Japan]
Support for cancer immunotherapy
In this field, immunotherapy, known for its almost nonexistent side effects, is emerging as the “fourth therapy” following surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Along with the Mizumachi Medical Group, Takara Bio is promoting adoptive immunotherapy using activated T lymphocytes, which is one of the cancer immunotherapies, by providing broad support for this therapy. We plan to further expand this support in the future.
