| Summary: | Current cancer immunotherapies are primarily predicated on alpha-beta T cells. The stringent dependence on MHC/ HLA-mediated presentation of tumour-enriched or unique peptides ("neoantigens") limits their activity and applicability in various contexts. After two decades of preclinical research and preliminary clinical studies, gamma-delta T cells are now being explored as a viable and promising approach for cancer immunotherapy. The unique features of gamma-delta T cells, including their tissue tropism, anti-tumour activity that is independent of neoantigen burden and MHC-dependent antigen presentation, and combination of typical T cell and natural killer cell properties, make them very appealing effectors in multiple cancer settings. In this webinar, Prof. Bruno Silva-Santos will discuss the anti-tumour functions of gamma-delta T cells, focusing on human V delta 1 plus gamma-delta T cells, for which his laboratory has developed a clinical-grade method to greatly expand and differentiate them into effectors with enhanced cytotoxic potential. He will discuss the preclinical proof-of-concept data that has supported the application of this novel cellular therapy, Delta One T (DOT) cells, in haematological malignancies, as well as its potential to be employed for treatment of solid cancers, especially those with impaired HLA class I expression or lower mutational burden, which remain a critical unmet need for cancer immunotherapy
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