Final Program - American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy

Program Schedule, Thursday, May 16, 2013
Carl H. June, MD
T Cell Mediated Gene Transfer for Cancer Therapy
The adoptive transfer of anti-tumor T cells can mediate regression of established metastatic cancers in patients. We have begun a
series of clinical trials using the transduction of genes encoding chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or anti-tumor T cell receptors
(TCR) into normal peripheral lymphocytes for use in adoptive cell transfer. Anti-tumor TCRs have been identiied that recognize
cancer testis antigens. Autologous cells transduced with genes encoding the anti-NY-ESO-1 TCR cancer-testes antigen mediated
objective clinical responses in patients with myeloma. An afinity enhanced MAGE A3 TCR caused severe adverse events with
fatal off-target cardiac toxicity, pointing to serious concerns with the ability of pre-clinical testing to identify off target effects of
TCRs. Patients with acute pre-B cell leukemia or chronic lymphocytic leukemia exhibited a high objective regression rate using
T cells transduced with a CD19 CAR. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of T cell destruction of cancers are under active
investigation. Ongoing studies are evaluating chimeric antibody receptors targeting mesothelin, and EGFRvIII. Together these
studies demonstrate the power and potential of adoptive T cell immunotherapy to mediate the regression of established advanced
cancer in humans.
Lieping Chen, MD, PhD
New Perspectives in the Development of Cancer Vaccines
There is ample evidence that human malignancies express tumor-associated or tumor-speciic antigens. Immunization with cancer
antigen-based vaccine in animal models or patients with advanced cancer induce tumor-reactive T cells in lymphoid organs and
these T cells can be detected in blood. However, increased circulating tumor-reactive T cells often do not correlate with regression
of advanced cancer. Recent studies reveal that speciic resistant mechanisms are developed in the tumor microenvironment to
suppress activity of tumor-iniltrating T cells. It is thus important to understand and identify molecules underlying these resistance
mechanisms. I will focus my discussion on analysis of mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment in the context of improvement
of the eficacy of cancer vaccines.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Final Program SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH May 15–18, 2013
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