HIGH AFFINITY NY-ESO T CELL RECEPTORS
The present invention provides T cell receptors (TCRs) having the property of binding to SLLMWITQC-HLA-A*0201, the SLLMWITQC SEQ ID NO:126 peptide being derived from the NY-ESO-1 protein which is expressed by a range of tumour cells. The TCRs have a K D for the said peptide-HLA complex of less than or equal to 1 μM and/or have an off-rate (k off ) of 1×10 −3 S −1 or slower.
1 - 5 . (canceled)
6 . An engineered or recombinant β chain extracellular domain comprising a mutation wherein amino acid 50G of SEQ ID NO: 2 is replaced by 50A.
7 . An engineered or recombinant β chain extracellular domain that comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 comprising at least one mutation, wherein the at least one mutation is the substitution of G to A at position 50 using the numbering shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.
8 . An engineered or recombinant T cell receptor (TCR) comprising the β chain extracellular domain of claim 6 or 7 .
9 . A TCR comprising an α chain extracellular domain and the β chain extracellular domain of claim 6 or 7 .
10 . The TCR of claim 9 wherein the α chain extracellular domain comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
11 . An isolated cell comprising the β chain extracellular domain of claim 6 or 7 or the TCR of claim 8 , 9 or 10 .
12 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a plurality of cells comprising the β chain extracellular domain of claim 6 or 7 or the TCR of claim 8 , 9 or 10 .