Ultra-high efficiency T cell reprogramming at multiple loci with SEED-Selection.

Multiplexed reprogramming of T cell specificity and function can generate powerful next-generation cellular therapies. However, current manufacturing methods produce heterogenous mixtures of partially engineered cells. Here, we develop a one-step process to enrich for unlabeled cells with knock-ins at multiple target loci using a family of repair templates named Synthetic Exon/Expression Disruptors (SEEDs). SEED engineering associates transgene integration with the disruption of a paired endogenous surface protein, allowing non-modified and partially edited cells to be immunomagnetically depleted (SEED-Selection). We design SEEDs to fully reprogram three critical loci encoding T cell specificity, co-receptor expression, and MHC expression, with up to 98% purity after selection for individual modifications and up to 90% purity for six simultaneous edits (three knock-ins and three knockouts). These methods are simple, compatible with existing clinical manufacturing workflows, and can be readily adapted to other loci to facilitate production of complex gene-edited cell therapies.
Competing Interests: Competing Interests C.R.C., V.S.V., A.M., B.S., and J.E. are inventors on patent filings related to this work. J.E. is a compensated co-founder at Mnemo Therapeutics and a compensated scientific advisor to Cytovia Therapeutics. J.E. owns stocks in Mnemo Therapeutics and Cytovia Therapeutics. J.E. has received a consulting fee from Casdin Capital, Resolution Therapeutics, and Treefrog Therapeutics. The Eyquem lab has received research support from Cytovia Therapeutics, Mnemo Therapeutics, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. A.M. is a co-founder of Arsenal Biosciences, Function Bio, Spotlight Therapeutics, and Survey Genomics, serves on the boards of directors at Function Bio, Spotlight Therapeutics and Survey Genomics, is a member of the scientific advisory boards of Arsenal Biosciences, Function Bio, Spotlight Therapeutics, Survey Genomics, NewLimit, Amgen, Tenaya, and Lightcast, owns stock in Arsenal Biosciences, Function Bio, Spotlight Therapeutics, NewLimit, Survey Genomics, Tenaya, and Lightcast, and has received fees from Arsenal Biosciences, Spotlight Therapeutics, NewLimit, 23andMe, PACT Pharma, Juno Therapeutics, Tenaya, Lightcast, Trizell, Vertex, Merck, Amgen, Genentech, AlphaSights, Rupert Case Management, Bernstein, GLG, ClearView Healthcare Partners, and ALDA. A.M. is an investor in and informal advisor to Offline Ventures and a client of EPIǪ. The Marson laboratory has received research support from Juno Therapeutics, Epinomics, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Gilead, and Anthem.