Objective
Substantial evidence supports the therapeutic potential of ex vivo gene therapy based on Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) or T lymphocytes to treat inherited diseases or cancer. Yet, the intrinsic limitations of current gene replacement approaches based on semi-randomly integrating vectors, and the occurrence in some clinical trials of severe adverse events related to gene transfer, prevent safe deployment and broad application of gene therapy. This project aims to overcome these limits by exploiting the results of an earlier highly successful integrated project (PERSIST), which demonstrated the potential of gene targeting technologies based on engineered nucleases to provide radical new solutions to these hurdles. By homology-driven repair of a nuclease-targeted dysfunctional gene, we will insert a functional copy downstream its own endogenous promoter in HSC, thus restoring both function and physiological expression control. For adoptive T-cell therapy, we will combine nuclease-mediated disruption of the endogenous TCR genes with transfer of tumor-specific TCR, thus editing T-cell specificity at the genetic level. We will develop these innovative approaches into robust, scalable and clinically ready processes for safe ex vivo genetic modification of hematopoietic cells, and apply them to the treatment of paradigmatic diseases that provide a favourable risk-benefit ratio for clinical testing. Because both HSC and T-cell based gene therapy strategies share methodological aspects and technological challenges, we will address them systematically by involving a SME which holds unique know-how and top-level expertise in vector manufacturing and HSC and T-cell processing, as already established for our previous and ongoing gene therapy trials. Our findings will lead to the design of new clinical trials to provide durable benefits or even a cure to patients suffering from severe and otherwise fatal diseases, and representing a template for broaden application in medicine.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology genetic engineering gene therapy
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-HEALTH-2013-INNOVATION-2
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
20132 Milano
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.