Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc (IOVA)

[XenaLives]

WHAT ARE TUMOR INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES AND HOW DO THEY WORK?
The TUMOR INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTE (TIL) therapies being studied in this trial are investigational immunotherapies named LN-144/LN-145.

TIL are derived from a patient’s own immune cells called lymphocytes, and specifically T lymphocytes that can recognize and potentially kill the patient’s own cancer cells. Some of these cells naturally travel to, and penetrate existing cancerous tumors, and are then referred to as TUMOR INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES (TIL). However, for various reasons the immune-suppressive environment of the cancerous tumors limits their number and activity which diminishes their ability to effectively attack the cancer.

The TIL therapy under investigation in this clinical trial, LN-144/LN-145, are derived through isolation of a patient’s own naturally occurring TIL from a sample of cancerous tumor removed from the patient. After TIL are extracted from the tumor, they are multiplied in a laboratory until billions of TIL are obtained. Prior to receipt of TIL, patients receive a pre-conditioning therapy to reduce the immune suppressive environment of cancer that remains in the patient. The expanded TIL are then administered via intravenous infusion back to the patient as LN-144/LN-145 (TIL therapy), with the intention that the TIL will target and infiltrate cancer in the patient and attack the cancer in greater number. Patients receive up to 6 doses of interleukin 2 (IL-2) immediately following TIL infusion to support growth and activation of the TIL in the patient, and to augment the anti-cancer activity of the TIL therapy.

https://www.iovance.com/clinical/immunotherapy-for-solid-tumors/