autologous CD40L and IL-2-expressing B-CLL vaccine

This autologous cancer vaccine, developed by Baylor College of Medicine, is an investigational cell-based biologic therapy for the treatment of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). The vaccine is produced by harvesting a patient's own leukemic cells and genetically modifying them—using either adenoviral gene transfer or plasmid electroporation—to express two transgenic proteins: CD40 ligand (CD40L) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). The expression of CD40L triggers the CD40/CD40L pathway, which upregulates co-stimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86) and adhesion molecules (CD54) on the CLL cells, effectively transforming them into potent antigen-presenting cells. IL-2 is co-expressed to act as a T-cell growth factor, further stimulating the expansion and activation of leukemia-specific T-cells. Administered via subcutaneous injection, the vaccine aims to overcome the inherent immunodeficiency associated with CLL and induce a robust, systemic anti-leukemic immune response.

Other names

CD40 ligand and IL-2-expressing tumor cells vaccineCD-40 ligand and IL-2-expressing tumor cells vaccineCD 40 ligand and IL-2-expressing tumor cells vaccineautologous CD40L/IL-2 CLL vaccineAd-hCD40L/IL-2 B-CLL vaccine