Development of novel treatments for cancer based on T-cell receptors
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Human tissue for the development of novel treatments for cancer based on T-cell receptors
IRAS ID
161369
Contact name
Andrew B. Gerry
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Adaptimmune Ltd
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Adaptimmune Ltd is developing therapies for cancer based on T cell receptors. Recognition of diseased cells is a vital part of the natural defense against cancer. T cells are a type of white blood cell that normally looks for and removes infected or faulty cells within the body, for example, cancer cells. These T cells use a molecule, a T cell receptor, to identify a cell as faulty. Adaptimmune isolates, modifies and strengthens these fairly weak receptors so that they can better recognise the cancer. This receptor is then put back onto the cancer patient’s T cells so that they can attack the cancer. This kind of treatment is called “Adoptive T cell therapy” and is already showing promise in clinical trials.
In order to develop these treatments a range of human cells are required: Fresh human tumour cells are required for testing the effectiveness of the modified T cells, and primary normal cells are necessary to test the safety of the modified T cells.
This study is designed to ensure that an adequate supply and storage of primary tumour and normal cellular material is available to support the research into potential new treatments for cancer. Adaptimmune would like to obtain tumour tissue, and possibly donor matched normal tissue, for a variety of tumour types, including but not limited to breast, colon, lung and prostate. These fresh and viable tissues are required at a rate of potentially 3-4 per month for each tumour type.REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/1777
Date of REC Opinion
29 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion