# TR&D1: Engineering artificial Antigen Presenting Cells, aAPC, for Adoptive Immunotherapy

> **NIH NIH P41** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $311,229

## Abstract

TR&D 1 Summary:
Adoptive cellular immunotherapy is a cancer treatment. In adoptive immunotherapy, T cells are isolated,
manipulated, and stimulated in vitro, followed by expansion and administration into patients. Interest in this
treatment is driven by impressive Phase I clinical trial results, in which the treatment has regressed large
lesions, including treatment-resistant melanomas. The cost and complexity of treatment with adoptive
immunotherapy have limited its use to research settings. In particular, T cell expansion requires prolonged
culture. Autologous antigen presenting cells, or feeder cells, are a complex biologic that must be repeatedly
assessed for safety and reliability, further increasing cost and labor. Immunotherapeutic strategies would
benefit from effective “off-the-shelf” expansion platforms that reduce complexity and expense. In this TR&D we
will engineer and optimize nanoscale artificial Antigen Presenting Cells, nano-aAPCs coupled to simplify,
streamline, and scale-up production of T cells for adoptive immunotherapy. Our proposed studies will improve
production of highly efficacious tumor antigen-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells for ACT by effectively
increasing the frequency of antigen-specific cells and their functionality due to increased control of stimulating
signals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10223293
- **Project number:** 5P41EB028239-03
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JONATHAN P SCHNECK
- **Activity code:** P41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $311,229
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-15 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10223293

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10223293, TR&D1: Engineering artificial Antigen Presenting Cells, aAPC, for Adoptive Immunotherapy (5P41EB028239-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10223293. Licensed CC0.

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