Cellular immunotherapy based on ex vivo enlarged unmodified cell cultures

Medical Review (Med. pregled), 2025, 61(5), 20-28.

T. Vekov, N. Chilingirova, L. Dimova, B. Spasov

Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment Heart and Brain – Pleven

Abstract. In the last few decades, immunotherapy has been at the center of research to treat cancer. As a result, various therapeutic strategies have emerged, including adoptive cell therapies. Today, only two cellular immunotherapies have been approved for clinical administration: 1) Sipuleucel-T (dendritic cell vaccine for the treatment of metastatic, castration-resistant, hormone-refractory prostate cancer); 2) Lifileucel (tumor-infiltrating autologous lymphocytes for the treatment of inoperable metastatic melanoma). The strategy with unmodified cellular immunotherapy is expected to solve the problem of drug resistance of some of the solid tumors to PD-1 antibodies to a large extent. The publication analyzes the achievements and challenges of the tests of cellular immunotherapy based on enlarged and stimulated cell cultures, and the prospects for the development of effective and safe drug therapies are presented.

Key words: unmodified cell cultures, cellular immunotherapy

Address for correspondence: Prof. Toni Vekov, PhD, DSc, e-mail: t.vekov.mu.pleven@abv.bg