IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,558,424
Granted Patent B2
US 12,558,424 · App. 17/633,414 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

T cells having enhanced anti-tumor activity

Inventors: Warren J. Leonard (Bethesda, MD); Dalton J. Hermans (Manitowoc, WI); Luca Gattinoni (Washington, DC); Leonard M. Neckers (Bethesda, MD); Sanjivan Gautam (Rockville, MD); Suman Mitra (Lambersart, FR)
Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
A61K40/11A61K40/4273A61P35/00A61K2239/57C07D231/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,558,424
App. No.
17/633,414
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention provides compositions and methods for using adoptive cell therapy (ACT) for treating cancer in a mammal. Cultured T-cells are provided by (a) obtaining an isolated population of T cells, and (b) culturing the isolated T cells ex vivo in the presence of a cytokine and a lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor. The cultured T-cells then can be administered to the mammal.

Claims (28)

1 . A method for treating cancer in a mammal, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining an isolated population of T cells;

(b) preparing cultured T cells by culturing the isolated T cells ex vivo in the presence of a cytokine and a lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor; and

(c) administering the cultured T cells to the mammal,

wherein the lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor is defined by the structure:

wherein R is F or H.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein R is F.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein R is H.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cytokine is IL-2.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cytokine is IL-21.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the T cells are CD8+ T cells.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolated population of T cells are obtained by harvesting the CD8+ T cells from the mammal.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the T cells are harvested from the peripheral blood of the mammal.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the mammal comprises a tumor and the T cells are harvested from a tumor sample taken from the mammal.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the T cells are splenic.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is melanoma.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the T cells recognize an antigen expressed by the cancer cells.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the antigen is gp100.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cultured T cells are administered intravenously to the mammal.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the culturing of the T cells is further in the presence of one or more antibodies selected from the group consisting of an anti-CD3 antibody and an anti-CD28 antibody.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises administering a cytokine to the mammal after administering the cultured T cells to the mammal.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammal is human.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cultured T cells are autologous to the mammal.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cultured T cells are allogeneic to the mammal.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises expanding the number of isolated T cells in the presence of a lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises administering the cultured T cells to the mammal in an amount sufficient to reduce the number of cancer cells in the mammal or to reduce metastasis of the cancer cells in the mammal.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein culturing the isolated T cells in the presence of the lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor increases anti-tumor activity of the cultured T cells as compared to control cells, wherein the control cells are identical to the cultured T cells except that the control cells are not cultured in the presence of the lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises administering IL-2 to the mammal after administering the cultured T cells to the mammal.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2026
From: MITRA, SUMAN
To: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Reel/Frame 074745/0084 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2022
From: LEONARD, WARREN J.; HERMANS, DALTON J.; GATTINONI, LUCA; NECKERS, LEONARD M.; GAUTAM, SANJIVAN
To: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Reel/Frame 059631/0830 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62883927 · Aug 7, 2019
Related Publication 20220331360A1 · Oct 20, 2022
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