NK immunotherapy (Fuda Cancer Hospital)

NK immunotherapy (Fuda Cancer Hospital) is an adoptive cell therapy utilizing ex vivo expanded and activated natural killer (NK) cells for the treatment of various malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Developed by Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital, the therapy employs a specialized activation protocol using the K562-mb15-41BBL (also known as K562D2) feeder cell line. This feeder line is engineered to express membrane-bound interleukin-15 (IL-15) and 4-1BB ligand (4-1BBL), which provide essential co-stimulatory signals to the NK cells, significantly enhancing their proliferation, survival, and cytotoxic potential. In clinical trials for recurrent EGFR-mutated NSCLC, this NK cell therapy is evaluated in combination with cetuximab, an EGFR-targeting monoclonal antibody. This combination strategy aims to exploit antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), where the infused NK cells' Fc receptors (CD16) bind to the cetuximab-coated tumor cells, leading to targeted lysis. The therapy is a core component of the hospital's Combined Immunotherapy for Cancer (CIC) program.

Other names

Natural killer cell immunotherapyCIC-NK therapyK562D2-activated NK cellsK-562D2-activated NK cellsK 562D2-activated NK cells