CD40 Ligand

CD40 Ligand (CD40L or CD154) is a recombinant protein and a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily that serves as a potent immunostimulatory agent. In the clinical development program led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), CD40L is utilized as a critical component in the production of personalized cancer vaccines for pediatric patients with recurrent Ewing sarcoma and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. The agent is used ex vivo to activate and mature autologous antigen-presenting cells (APCs), such as dendritic cells, which are then pulsed with tumor-specific peptides (including EF-1, EF-2, PXFK, and E7) derived from disease-defining fusion proteins like EWS-FLI1 and PAX3-FKHR. By binding to the CD40 receptor on APCs, CD40L triggers the upregulation of co-stimulatory molecules and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby enhancing the ability of the vaccine to prime and expand tumor-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes upon re-infusion into the patient.

Brand names

Avrend

Other names

Recombinant human CD40 ligandrhCD40LrhCD-40LrhCD 40LSoluble CD40 ligand