Expansion of NK cells

1. A method of obtaining expanded and activated natural killer (NK) cells with the phenotype CD3 − CD56 + and NK-like T cells with the phenotype CD3 + CD56 + , said method comprising:

i) providing a cell sample of peripheral blood from a tumour bearing subject;

ii) isolating cells from said blood sample and re-suspending the cells in growth medium;

iii) adding the isolated cells to a closed cell culture bag bioreactor at a concentration of about 0.5×10 6 to about 2×10 6 /ml of growth medium;

iv) incubating and expanding the cells in the bioreactor with rocking motion agitation and heating until at least 50% of the expanded cell population comprises activated NK cells and NK-like T cells; and

v) harvesting said expanded cell suspension of activated NK-cells and NK-like T cells from said bioreactor,

wherein said harvested expanded and activated NK-cells and NK-like T cells

(1) exhibit an at least three fold increase in cytotoxicity compared to freshly isolated donor cells as determined by an in vitro cytotoxicity test with K562 cells as target cells at an effector to target cell ratio of 10:1, and

(2) express NKp44 at an at least two fold higher level compared to activated natural killer cells with the phenotype CD3 − CD56 + cells obtained from flask expansions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said growth medium is supplemented with serum, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and anti-CD3 antibodies.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cell expansion is performed until the total number of cells has expanded at least about 10-fold.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cell sample is a sample of cytokine stimulated peripheral blood.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cell sample is a sample of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cells are incubated for at least about 10 days.

7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the serum is selected from the group consisting of human serum and autologous serum.

8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the medium is supplemented with about 50 to about 1500 U/ml IL-2, about 1 to about 50 ng/ml anti-CD3-antibodies and about 1 to about 40% serum.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tumour is selected from the group consisting of haematological tumours and solid tumours.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtained cells predominantly consist of natural killer (NK) cells with the phenotype CD3 − CD56 + .

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the bioreactor is a wave bioreactor.

12. The method according to claims 1 , wherein the rocking motion is at a rate and angle permitting the cells to adhere to the surface of the closed cell system.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rocking is performed at a rocking angle of about 4-8°.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rocking is performed at a rocking rate of about 4-8 rocks per min.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is performed at a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is performed at a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the agitation and heating is performed under the following conditions: a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.; a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%; and gentle rocking at a rate and angle permitting the cells to adhere to the surface of the closed cell system.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the agitation and heating is performed under the following conditions: a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.; a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%; and at a rocking rate of about 4-8 rocks per min.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the agitation and heating is performed under the following conditions: a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.; a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%; and at a rocking rate of about 4-8 rocks per min and at a rocking angle of about 4-8°.

20. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the rocking motion is at a rate and angle permitting the cells to adhere to the surface of the closed cell system.

21. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the rocking is performed at a rocking angle of about 4-8°.

22. The method of claim 2 , wherein the rocking is performed at a rocking rate of about 4-8 rocks per min.

23. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the method is performed at a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.

24. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the method is performed at a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%.

25. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the agitation and heating is performed under the following conditions: a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.; a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%; and gentle rocking at a rate and angle permitting the cells to adhere to the surface of the closed cell system.

26. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the agitation and heating is performed under the following conditions: a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.; a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%; and at a rocking rate of about 4-8 rocks per min.

27. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the agitation and heating is performed under the following conditions: a temperature of about 36 to about 40° C.; a CO 2 concentration of about 4.7 to about 5.1%; and at a rocking rate of about 4-8 rocks per min. and at a rocking angle of about 4-8°.