NK cell adoptive therapy is a promising cancer therapeutic approach. In particular, NK cells exhibit several desirable attributes as compared to more widely employed T cell therapies. For example, NK cells are not though to cause graft-versus-host disease and therefore can be utilized as a “universal donor” product. In addition, NK cells can innately target tumor cells without the requirement of prior sensitization. Despite the promise of NK cell therapy, there are significant challenges limiting its feasibility and clinical efficacy. NK cell manufacturing is challenging due to issues with the generation of large banks of “off the shelf” NK products (peripheral blood, cord blood and iPSC derived), issues with cryopreservation and gene editing. In addition after infusion of the product, there are significant challenges in maintaining NK cell persistence and cytotoxic activity. We are putting together a special issue devoted to challenges in NK cell therapeutic development to address these issues. We are seeking primary research articles and reviews in this area. Examples of topics that fit the focus of this special issue include:
1) Strategies to differentiate iPSCs to NK cells
2) Approaches to scale up NK manufacturing to support “off the shelf” products
3) Optimization of NK cell cryopreservation
4) Strategies to enhance NK cell in vivo persistence
5) Approaches to augment NK cell cytotoxic activity (ex. antibodies, small molecules, genetic modifications)
6) Strategies to efficiently gene edit NK cells (viral and non-viral methods)
7) Methods to overcome NK cell exhaustion
NK cell adoptive therapy is a promising cancer therapeutic approach. In particular, NK cells exhibit several desirable attributes as compared to more widely employed T cell therapies. For example, NK cells are not though to cause graft-versus-host disease and therefore can be utilized as a “universal donor” product. In addition, NK cells can innately target tumor cells without the requirement of prior sensitization. Despite the promise of NK cell therapy, there are significant challenges limiting its feasibility and clinical efficacy. NK cell manufacturing is challenging due to issues with the generation of large banks of “off the shelf” NK products (peripheral blood, cord blood and iPSC derived), issues with cryopreservation and gene editing. In addition after infusion of the product, there are significant challenges in maintaining NK cell persistence and cytotoxic activity. We are putting together a special issue devoted to challenges in NK cell therapeutic development to address these issues. We are seeking primary research articles and reviews in this area. Examples of topics that fit the focus of this special issue include:
1) Strategies to differentiate iPSCs to NK cells
2) Approaches to scale up NK manufacturing to support “off the shelf” products
3) Optimization of NK cell cryopreservation
4) Strategies to enhance NK cell in vivo persistence
5) Approaches to augment NK cell cytotoxic activity (ex. antibodies, small molecules, genetic modifications)
6) Strategies to efficiently gene edit NK cells (viral and non-viral methods)
7) Methods to overcome NK cell exhaustion
