ACCELERATING T CELL MANUFACTURING FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY WITH NUTRI-T ACF MEDIUM.

The development of T cell-based immunotherapies like chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has shown great promise in cancer treatment. However, robust manufacturing of T cell products faces challenges including variability of cellular starting material and the use of human serum-containing media. This study present Nutri-T, a novel Animal Component-Free (ACF) medium, tailored for the expansion of T cells from healthy donors and cancer patients. Nutri-T ACF medium consists of recombinant proteins and other defined pharmaceutical-grade components optimized to promote rapid T cell proliferation. The exclusion of components originating from human and animals ensures ethical procurement and augments patient safety. The medium underwent systematic examination utilizing diverse culture systems, including conventional plastic culture ware, gas-permeable systems (G-Rex), spinners, and small-scale bioreactors. T cells from both healthy donors and cancer patients were expanded in Nutri-T ACF in comparison to other ACF formulations as well as conventional serum-containing media. Results indicate the outstanding performance of Nutri-T ACF medium, demonstrating high fold expansion for both healthy and patient T cells. Importantly, it maintained a naive and cytotoxic T cell phenotype ideal for cell therapy. In terms of functionality, T cells expanded in Nutri-T exhibited potent target cell killing and enabled efficient CAR transduction and expansion of the engineered T cells, all accomplished within a regulatory-friendly environment. In summary, Nutri-T ACF medium exhibits optimal performance specially tailored for T cell manufacture. By enabling a reliable and scalable expansion of T cells, this advanced ACF medium holds the potential to significantly streamline the efficient production of quality-assured T cells for immunotherapy, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]