Introduction:
Scientists at the University of Ottawa have developed an innovative commercial-scale manufacturing process for cancer therapies based on extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from natural killer (NK) cells. These EVs have shown promising potential as an alternative to NK cell-based immunotherapy for cancer treatment. However, their production has been limited by the finite lifespan of NK cells and the use of non-scalable feeder systems. The researchers have overcome these limitations by developing a Good Manufacturing Process (GMP)-compliant bioreactor system for culturing and expanding NK cells, resulting in the production of large quantities of high-quality NK-EVs.
- The researchers developed a GMP-compliant hollow fiber, closed-loop bioprocessing bioreactor system for culturing and expanding NK92 cells in a chemically-defined, serum-free, and Xenofree medium.
- The method produced large quantities of NK-EVs with consistent quality, high purity, and low toxicity, while retaining the essential characteristics of NK92 cells.
- The production yield of NK-EVs was significantly higher compared to traditional flask-based methods, making it more feasible for clinical translation.
- The researchers plan to further optimize their approach for commercial adoption by exploring other filtration methods to handle large processing volumes.
- This innovative commercial NK-EV production process has the potential to advance the development and application of NK-EV-based immunotherapies for cancer treatment.
Conclusion:
The University of Ottawa researchers have developed a GMP-compliant bioreactor system that enables the commercial-scale production of NK-EVs for cancer immunotherapies. This innovative process overcomes previous limitations and yields large quantities of high-quality NK-EVs. This advancement contributes to the future development and clinical translation of NK-EV-based immunotherapies, offering a promising alternative to NK cell-based treatments for cancer.
