lentiviral vector encoding interleukin-12

Lentiviral vector encoding interleukin-12 is an investigational ex vivo gene therapy developed by the University Health Network for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The therapy utilizes a third-generation, HIV-1-based lentiviral vector (pDY backbone) to transduce autologous AML cells with a fusion gene encoding human interleukin-12 (hIL-12) p70 and a mutant thymidylate kinase (TMPK) suicide gene. Upon reinfusion into the patient, the engineered leukemia cells secrete IL-12, which acts as a potent immunomodulator to stimulate NK and T cell proliferation, promote Th1 cytokine secretion, and induce a systemic anti-tumor immune response. The inclusion of the ΔLNGFR/TMPK cassette serves as a safety mechanism, enabling the selective elimination of the transduced cells through the administration of the prodrug zidovudine (AZT) in the event of adverse toxicities or insertional mutagenesis.

Other names

lentiviral vector encoding human interleukin-12LV-hIL-12-IRES-ΔLNGFR/TMPK