autologous myeloid dendritic cells

Autologous myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) are a type of cellular immunotherapy being developed by UZ Brussel for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. Unlike traditional dendritic cell vaccines that utilize monocyte-derived cells (moDCs) generated in vitro, this approach employs naturally occurring myeloid dendritic cells (including cDC1 and cDC2 subsets) isolated directly from the patient's peripheral blood via leukapheresis. These cells are professional antigen-presenting cells with a superior natural capacity for migration to lymphoid tissues and the activation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. In clinical trials, these mDCs are typically administered via intratumoral injection, where they are intended to capture tumor-associated antigens in the local microenvironment and subsequently migrate to lymph nodes to prime a systemic, tumor-specific immune response. This strategy aims to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and induce long-lasting anti-tumor immunity.

Other names

Myeloid dendritic cell vaccineNatural myeloid dendritic cellsAutologous mDC