ex vivo expanded autologous natural killer cells

**Ex vivo expanded autologous natural killer cells** are an investigational, patient-specific adoptive cellular immunotherapy studied by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in a Phase 1 trial for refractory metastatic solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. NK cells were collected by apheresis, depleted of CD3-positive T cells, enriched for CD56-positive NK cells, and expanded for 14 to 27 days using irradiated Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid feeder cells. The cells were intravenously infused after pentostatin lymphodepletion and bortezomib tumor sensitization, with interleukin-2 support. The therapeutic rationale was that activated autologous NK cells can mediate innate cytotoxicity against malignant cells, while bortezomib increases tumor susceptibility to NK-cell TRAIL-mediated and perforin/granzyme-associated apoptosis. This academic, investigational cell product has no assigned INN, development code, or brand name. ([clinicaltrials.gov](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00720785))

Other names

autologous NK cellsex vivo expanded autologous NK cellsadoptively infused ex vivo expanded autologous natural killer cells