allogeneic haploidentical natural killer cells

Allogeneic haploidentical natural killer (NK) cells refer to an investigational adoptive cellular immunotherapy consisting of NK cells harvested from a partially matched (haploidentical) adult donor, typically a parent. These cells are expanded and activated ex vivo, often using cytokines like interleukin-2 (IL-2) and sometimes membrane-bound IL-15/4-1BBL expressing feeder cells, to enhance their cytotoxic potential. The therapy leverages the graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect, where donor NK cells recognize and eliminate recipient leukemic blasts that lack the specific HLA class I ligands corresponding to the donor's inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs). This KIR-ligand mismatch triggers NK cell activation and tumor lysis without the high risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) associated with T-cell therapies. It is primarily being evaluated as a consolidation treatment for pediatric and adolescent patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are in remission but are not candidates for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Other names

allogeneic haploidentical NK cellsexpanded and activated haploidentical NK cells