OIL-2

OIL-2 is a first-in-class engineered common-gamma chain cytokine designed to selectively facilitate the expansion of CD8+ T cells for adoptive T-cell therapy. It is a re-targeted form of interleukin-2 (IL-2) that utilizes the NKG2D receptor rather than the IL-2 receptor alpha subunit (IL-2Rα/CD25) to form a high-affinity signaling complex. By bypassing IL-2Rα, OIL-2 avoids the induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and reduces activation-induced cell death (AICD), exhaustion, and terminal differentiation typically associated with wild-type IL-2. Mechanistically, OIL-2 induces metabolic reprogramming in T cells by shifting signaling toward the mTORC2 pathway and increasing Akt phosphorylation (Ser473) while reducing STAT5 activation. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that OIL-2 expanded T cells exhibit superior persistence, effector function, and tumor control in melanoma models compared to those expanded with standard IL-2 protocols.

Other names

NKG2D-targeted IL-2NKG-2D-targeted IL-2NKG 2D-targeted IL-2re-targeted IL-2