Temferon™, an ex-vivo genetically modified cell therapy aiming to fill the gaps for solid tumor immunotherapy

Cell & Gene Therapy Insights 2020; 6(9), 1445–1453

10.18609/cgti.2020.157

Published: 13 November 2020
Expert Insight
Stefania Mazzoleni, Bernhard Gentner, Valentina Brambilla, Tiziana Magnani, Fabio Ciceri, Gaetano Finocchiaro, Luigi Naldini, Carlo Russo

Despite significant advances, the clinical application of immunotherapy for cancer patients still has some challenges associated with safety and efficacy. Novel, cutting-edge therapeutic approaches, such as genetically modified cell-based therapies, are arousing interest thanks to their capability to effectively target tumors and/or immune cells of interest, reducing off-target effects and potentially providing a life-long effect. Genenta Science developed Temferon™, a novel ex-vivo genetically modified cell-based therapy for IFN-α local release into the tumor, achieved by bone marrow-derived myeloid cells characterized by Tie2 promoter activation (TEMs) leading to immunostimulatory reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Temferon™ is being studied in both hematologic and solid tumors and could play a relevant role also in combination with current available therapies, overcoming issues related to off-target effects and limited long-term benefits for currently available immunotherapies.