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TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy is a type of cellular immunotherapy that may be used to treat multiple tumor indications. TIL therapy essentially uses altered tumor cells to destroy the tumor itself. The following is an overview of the steps involved:
The first step is to surgically remove the tumor from the patient. The tumor is then dissected to remove immune cells that have penetrated the tumor. These cells are known as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
TILs are then cultured and expanded using IL-2, resulting in a large population of immune cells. 2nd and 3rd generation TIL-based cell therapies are evolving toward the use of genetically modified TIL. However, one of the technical difficulties in genetically modifying TIL for a clinical large-scale expansion is the ability to achieve the target expansion, while keeping the technique suitable to a cGMP environment.
After a brief course of chemotherapy, TILs are infused back into the patient, where they selectively attack only the cancer cells.
The generation of the TIL transfer product is challenging with sufficient expansion being notoriously difficult. A key component of any rapid expansion protocol is the allogeneic feeder cells. It has been shown that accessory cells in the T cell culture environment can facilitate lymphocyte growth.
To support your TIL rapid expansion protocols for your TIL therapies applications, Excellos provides irradiated allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors for T cell co-culturing. Our PBMCs are irradiated using X-ray radiation at a dosage that allows retention of their native costimulatory abilities but renders them incompetent for replication.
Contact Us to Order PBMC Feeder Cells
All “feeder” cells are obtained by apheresis of healthy donors in our FDA-registered donor center. All donors (collected under IRB-approved consent) undergo testing for infectious diseases with common blood-borne pathogens and viruses including RPR, HIV, LCMV, and HVC. Excellos donors are also extensively characterized (functionally, phenotypically and metabolically). Apheresis collections from healthy donors are isolated to PBMCs and cryopreserved under cGMP guidelines.
Excellos Quality Control – To ensure viability and cell counts of our cellular products, we implement random sampling per lot. A Certificate of Analysis (CoA) is included with every shipment. Characterization by immunophenotyping can also be performed upon request and included in the CoA.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help you with your TIL therapies applications.