Hans Gustaf Ljunggren

Our goal is: (i) To perform a longitudinal assessment of adaptive immune responses in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinated immunocompromised patient groups and healthy controls. The rational for the studies is that many of the studied patient groups have an increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hence, information on vaccine-induced immune status in real-time in the studied patient groups is important. It serves to provide necessary advice on protective measurements needed to be taken as well as for detemining the need for prophylactic treatment, and upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, need for immediate treatment. (ii) To perform a deep assessment of adaptive immune responses in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinated immunocompromised patients and healthy controls. The rational for the studies is that it is currently unknown to what extent multiple SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine doses may over time affect qualitative aspects of the adpative immune response generated. The latter informtion may impact future vaccine design and/or vaccination strategies. (iii) To undertake long-term capacity building for very rapidly being able to assess prevailing immunity in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinated patient groups and healthy controls in the event of an emerging new SARS-CoV-2 variant-of-concern outbreak. The rational being that new emerging variants may escape parts of current vaccine-induced immunity. This may be particular harmful for several of the presently studied patient groups.

During the past ten years, with the support of the Cancer Foundation, we have developed new NK cell-based immunotherapies against blood cancer diseases. The therapies have shown high safety and very promising results. We see today that there is continued development potential in the area. New NK cell-based therapies can be developed with an even greater degree of efficacy and/or specificity. Within the framework of the current project, we want to initiate two new academic clinical studies with NK cell-based products with high activity and specificity. We want to take advantage of recent discoveries in our research environment, where we have identified a specific population of NK cells with particularly high cytotoxicity (tumor cell killing ability). We want to expand this population from healthy blood donors, and then give these NK cells to patients with treatment-resistant blood cancers. We then want to study immunological responses in the patient and compare these against clinical effect. In the second study, we want to combine a newly established NK cell-based treatment strategy with antibodies against cancer cells. We also want to study immunological responses in these patients and compare these against clinical effect. The projects aim to develop new, refined, NK cell-based immunotherapies against cancer. The goal is to create therapies with high specificity and effect, while at the same time they must be possible to produce at low cost and can be given to patients without side effects. In the long term, the goal is that this type of immunotherapies should be able to be offered to larger and more patient groups who are without other specific treatment.

More and more people are suffering from cancer diseases. Although cancer research has progressed significantly, too many people die prematurely in cancer life and many suffer from their illness more than necessary. Traditionally, cancer diseases have been cured by surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy (cytostatics). In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a fourth major treatment option. Immunotherapy is still in its infancy, but great progress is being made. We see great opportunities for developing new forms of cell-mediated immunotherapies against blood cancer diseases (especially certain forms of leukemias). For a long time we have studied so-called natural killer cells (NK cells) in various experimental model systems and in humans. These naturally occurring immune cells have the ability to recognize and kill certain types of tumor cells. In the case of severe cancer diseases, the function of these cells is often depressed. We have developed a system in which we isolate NK cells from blood from related donors, expand and activate them, and then transplant them into cancer patients. In preliminary studies, we have seen very promising results in some patients with incurable cancer. We now want to further develop these strategies in new clinical trials. Our mission is to be able to cure certain forms of today incurable cancer. This is done by completely eliminating the cancer with the aid of current cell therapy, or putting cancer patients at a stage that allows them to be treated with conventional treatment methods such as bone marrow transplantation. We focus our studies on the treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. We have great respect for the fact that this is a difficult task, but we see reasons for optimism. Not least from recent studies in patients with incurable cancer which have given very good results.

More and more people are suffering from cancer diseases. Although cancer research has progressed significantly, too many people die prematurely in cancer life and many suffer from their illness more than necessary. Traditionally, cancer diseases have been cured by surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy (cytostatics). In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a fourth major treatment option. Immunotherapy is still in its infancy, but great progress is being made. We see great opportunities for developing new forms of cell-mediated immunotherapies against blood cancer diseases (especially certain forms of leukemias). For a long time we have studied so-called natural killer cells (NK cells) in various experimental model systems and in humans. These naturally occurring immune cells have the ability to recognize and kill certain types of tumor cells. In the case of severe cancer diseases, the function of these cells is often depressed. We have developed a system in which we isolate NK cells from blood from related donors, expand and activate them, and then transplant them into cancer patients. In preliminary studies, we have seen very promising results in some patients with incurable cancer. We now want to further develop these strategies in new clinical trials. Our mission is to be able to cure certain forms of today incurable cancer. This is done by completely eliminating the cancer with the aid of current cell therapy, or putting cancer patients at a stage that allows them to be treated with conventional treatment methods such as bone marrow transplantation. We focus our studies on the treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. We have great respect for the fact that this is a difficult task, but we see reasons for optimism. Not least from recent studies in patients with incurable cancer which have given very good results.

Over the past 10 years, our research team has studied human NK cells in detail, from many different aspects. These projects are based on previous studies in the group of NK cells in mice. We have now gained a detailed knowledge of human NK cells, ffa with respect to their development, differentiation, activation, and molecular specificity (ie their ability to recognize at tumor level tumor cells and other types of altered cells). Through our new knowledge, we now realize that NK cells from healthy donors should be able to be used for therapeutic purposes to cure or alleviate severe cancer, ffa in patients with certain forms of blood cancer. The project aims to isolate NK cells from blood from healthy, closely related, donors. These are activated overnight under controlled conditions, and are then given to patients with severe blood cancer. We focus especially on patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myeloblastic leukemia. The patients are pre-treated with chemotherapy and some irradiation before receiving treatment, in order for the NK cells to be able to expand in the patients. In the patients, expansion of NK cells, and the effect of NK cells on the tumor disease, are then measured. Advanced studies in parallel investigate the causes of NK cell expansion and anti-tumor effects. The purpose of the studies is to investigate the possibility of treatment or alleviation of patients with irreversible blood cancer. Preliminary results are very promising. In several patients, we see effects on tumor cells, and reduced or no residual disease. However, we need to increase the size of patient groups, and also follow patients longer. In the long term, we seriously believe that current strategy can be developed to be routinely used in various tumor states, especially in certain types of blood cancer, but also in some other tumor forms. The treatment can certainly also be combined with other treatment strategies, eg different antibodies.

Over the past 10 years, our research team has studied human NK cells in detail, from many different aspects. These projects are based on previous studies in the group of NK cells in mice. We have now gained a detailed knowledge of human NK cells, ffa with respect to their development, differentiation, activation, and molecular specificity (ie their ability to recognize at tumor level tumor cells and other types of altered cells). Through our new knowledge, we now realize that NK cells from healthy donors should be able to be used for therapeutic purposes to cure or alleviate severe cancer, ffa in patients with certain forms of blood cancer. The project aims to isolate NK cells from blood from healthy, closely related, donors. These are activated overnight under controlled conditions, and are then given to patients with severe blood cancer. We focus especially on patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myeloblastic leukemia. The patients are pre-treated with chemotherapy and some irradiation before receiving treatment, in order for the NK cells to be able to expand in the patients. In the patients, expansion of NK cells, and the effect of NK cells on the tumor disease, are then measured. Advanced studies in parallel investigate the causes of NK cell expansion and anti-tumor effects. The purpose of the studies is to investigate the possibility of treatment or alleviation of patients with irreversible blood cancer. Preliminary results are very promising. In several patients, we see effects on tumor cells, and reduced or no residual disease. However, we need to increase the size of patient groups, and also follow patients longer. In the long term, we seriously believe that current strategy can be developed to be routinely used in various tumor states, especially in certain types of blood cancer, but also in some other tumor forms. The treatment can certainly also be combined with other treatment strategies, eg different antibodies.

Over the past 10 years, our research team has studied human NK cells in detail, from many different aspects. These projects are based on previous studies in the group of NK cells in mice. We have now gained a detailed knowledge of human NK cells, ffa with respect to their development, differentiation, activation, and molecular specificity (ie their ability to recognize at tumor level tumor cells and other types of altered cells). Through our new knowledge, we now realize that NK cells from healthy donors should be able to be used for therapeutic purposes to cure or alleviate severe cancer, ffa in patients with certain forms of blood cancer. The project aims to isolate NK cells from blood from healthy, closely related, donors. These are activated overnight under controlled conditions, and are then given to patients with severe blood cancer. We focus especially on patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myeloblastic leukemia. The patients are pre-treated with chemotherapy and some irradiation before receiving treatment, in order for the NK cells to be able to expand in the patients. In the patients, expansion of NK cells, and the effect of NK cells on the tumor disease, are then measured. Advanced studies in parallel investigate the causes of NK cell expansion and anti-tumor effects. The purpose of the studies is to investigate the possibility of treatment or alleviation of patients with irreversible blood cancer. Preliminary results are very promising. In several patients, we see effects on tumor cells, and reduced or no residual disease. However, we need to increase the size of patient groups, and also follow patients longer. In the long term, we seriously believe that current strategy can be developed to be routinely used in various tumor states, especially in certain types of blood cancer, but also in some other tumor forms. The treatment can certainly also be combined with other treatment strategies, eg different antibodies.