Lei Yu – VJRegenMed

Advances in CAR T-cell expansion technology

admin_vjr_user — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:52:51 +0000

Lei Yu, MD, PhD, Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Biomed-Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd, China, describes the importance of exploring new technologies for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy manufacture, in order to enhance consistency and cell expansion. He describes Quantum, a functionally closed, automated cell culture bioreactor that allows consistent and controlled culture environment, while preventing contamination to the cells. Dr Yu explains that this technology ensures consistent batches of cells, allows scale-up and can shorten cell culture time, which is important for patients in critical conditions waiting for CAR T-cell therapies. He proposes that cell expansion technologies should become more automated and implement artificial intelligence technology in the future. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.

Challenges of CAR T-cell therapy for AML: is CD38 the answer?

admin_vjr_user — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:33:45 +0000

Lei Yu, MD, PhD, Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Biomed-Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd, China, explains that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have been effective in treating hematologic B-cell malignancies, as they contain several antigens exclusive to the B-cell lineage, such as CD19, that can be targeted without causing significant harm to the patient. A key challenge facing CAR T-cell therapy for AML, however, is the identification of AML-specific target antigens, since myeloid antigens are often co-expressed on healthy bone marrow cells, which when targeted with CAR T-cells can cause fatal myeloablation. CD38 is being investigated as a target antigen for AML CAR T-cell therapy, as it is expressed on AML cells but not healthy bone marrow cells. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.