Objective
Patients with high-risk hematological tumors can be cured by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, the main causes of failure of HSCT are infections, tumor relapse and over-shooting immune responses of the donor T cells to healthy cells and tissues of the patient or graft-versus host disease (GvHD). Therefore, this treatment is still associated with a high morbidity and mortality, as well as a high economic burden. Our previous EU FP6 project, ALLOSTEM, resulted in a number of achievements, including a ‘first in man’ clinical trial that used a highly innovative novel cell selection strategy (Streptamer technology) for the generation of non-ATMP (advanced therapy medicinal product) monovirus specific T cell products. Continuing from ALLOSTEM, we now aim to develop two novel Streptamer-based clinical cell selection processes and its corresponding cell products. A multispecific T cell product targeting several viruses and tumors as well as a primary regulatory T cell product targeting GvHD will be developed to market maturity. These two cell products will improve the outcome of allogeneic HSCT. A significant improvement in the outcome and this coupled with a significant reduction of the costs for a large number of patients in Europe will further broaden the application in other forms of cancer of this curative treatment. In order to achieve this goal we assembled a consortium led by the University Hospital of Würzburg with Prof. Einsele as scientific coordinator together with renowned clinical scientists in the field of HSCT (all key players in ALLOSTEM).
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugs
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunology
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineemergency medicinegraft versus host disease
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinetransplantation
Call for proposal
FP7-HEALTH-2013-INNOVATION-2
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research projectCoordinator
97080 Wurzburg
Germany