US 12,240,884 B2
Methods for improving the efficacy and expansion of immune cells
Felipe Bedoya, Melrose, MA (US); Saba Ghassemi, Philadelphia, PA (US); Carl H. June, Merion Station, PA (US); Omkar U. Kawalekar, Garden Grove, CA (US); Bruce L Levine, Cherry Hill, NJ (US); Jan J. Melenhorst, Cherry Hill, NJ (US); Michael C. Milone, Moorestown, NJ (US); Daniel J. Powell, Jr., Bala Cynwyd, PA (US); and Zoe Zheng, Cherry Hill, NJ (US)
Assigned to Novartis AG, Basel (CH); and The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Filed by Novartis AG, Basel (CH); and The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Filed on Sep. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/025,732.
Application 17/025,732 is a division of application No. 15/216,036, filed on Jul. 21, 2016, granted, now 10,829,735.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/195,056, filed on Jul. 21, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0246423 A1, Aug. 12, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C07K 14/705 (2006.01); A61K 39/00 (2006.01); C07K 14/725 (2006.01); C07K 16/18 (2006.01); C07K 16/28 (2006.01); C07K 16/30 (2006.01); C12N 5/00 (2006.01); C12N 5/0783 (2010.01)
CPC C07K 14/70517 (2013.01) [A61K 39/4611 (2023.05); A61K 39/4631 (2023.05); A61K 39/464412 (2023.05); A61K 39/464468 (2023.05); C07K 14/705 (2013.01); C07K 14/7051 (2013.01); C07K 14/70578 (2013.01); C07K 16/18 (2013.01); C07K 16/28 (2013.01); C07K 16/2803 (2013.01); C07K 16/30 (2013.01); C12N 5/0087 (2013.01); C12N 5/0636 (2013.01); A61K 2239/31 (2023.05); A61K 2239/38 (2023.05); A61K 2239/59 (2023.05); C07K 2317/622 (2013.01); C07K 2319/03 (2013.01); C07K 2319/33 (2013.01); C07K 2319/74 (2013.01); C12N 2501/2302 (2013.01); C12N 2501/2307 (2013.01); C12N 2501/2315 (2013.01); C12N 2501/50 (2013.01); C12N 2510/00 (2013.01); C12N 2740/16043 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
 
1. A method of expanding and/or activating a population of immune cells, comprising:
providing a first Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-expressing cell population, said first CAR-expressing cell population comprising a transiently expressed first CAR molecule, and said CAR molecule comprising an antigen binding domain of an antibody molecule;
contacting the first CAR-expressing cell population with a ligand of the CAR molecule that is a cognate antigen molecule that binds to said CAR molecule, under conditions such that immune cell expansion and/or activation occurs, thereby producing an expanded and/or activated immune cell population; and
contacting the expanded and/or activated immune cell population with a nucleic acid encoding a second CAR molecule, wherein the second CAR molecule is stably expressed, thereby producing a second CAR-expressing cell population.