ex vivo-generated natural killer cells

Ex vivo-generated natural killer (NK) cells are an allogeneic adoptive cell therapy developed by Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) for the treatment of myeloid malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). These cells are produced by differentiating and expanding CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells harvested from umbilical cord blood (UCB) using a specialized GMP-compliant culture system. Unlike T-cell therapies, these NK cells do not require HLA matching and carry a low risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Once infused, they exert anti-tumor activity through the recognition of stress-induced ligands on leukemic blasts via activating receptors such as NKG2D and natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs), leading to the release of perforin and granzymes and the induction of apoptosis in target cells. The therapy is designed to provide a potent graft-versus-leukemia effect in patients who have failed standard treatments or are in molecular relapse.

Other names

allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived natural killer cellscord blood-derived NK cellsUCB-NK cells