1.NKM plus immune cell therapy
“NKM plus immune cell therapy” is a developed version of “NKM Immune Cell Therapy,” which has more focus on anti-cancer efficacy. For detailed information on “NKM immunotherapy”, see here.
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2.Immune checkpoint molecules and immune evasion of cancer
Many cancer cells develop in our body every day, but our body can avoid developing cancer because these cells are eliminated by the immune system. However, immune cells gradually become exhausted due to their daily fight against cancer cells. With fatigue accumulation in immune cells, something called an “immune checkpoint molecule,” resembling a hand appears on the cell surface. Cancer cells possess a means to survive using this “hand,” which they use to connect with the “hand” of immune cells. Once cancer cells hold hands with immune cells, the elimination function of the immune system is stopped so that the system can no longer attack cancer cells. Thus, cancer cells evade the immune system to survive.
Recently, a ray of light has punched a hole in this phenomenon. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Professor Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University received in 2018 was the very glimmer of hope that led to the elucidation of this immune system evasion mechanism. Professor Honjo has successfully developed a drug against “PD-1,” a “hand” of immune cells. The drug is called an “immune checkpoint inhibitor,” which is the first to hold the hand of immune cells when detecting it. In turn, immune cells with their hand already held cannot hold the “hand of cancer” any loner, thereby precluding the cancer’s ability to stop the immune system functionality, which enables immune cells to attack cancer. With this discovery, a new glimmer of light has punched a hole in cancer immunotherapy, enabling further development.
3.NKM plus immune cell therapy
“NKM plus immune cell therapy” is a type of therapy in which the addition of an immune checkpoint inhibitor to NKM Immune Cell Therapy has potential for a greater anti-cancer effect.
The addition of a drug (an immune checkpoint inhibitor) to various immune cells that have been expanded and activated as with NKM Immune Cell Therapy to preclude the braking function of a “hand of cancer” enables immune cells with a greater anti-cancer effect to be returned to the body. The introduction of a drug (an immune checkpoint inhibitor) directly into the body is associated with the risk of adverse reactions. However, in NKM plus immunotherapy, the drug is added to immune cells in a culture to make the drug hold the hand of immune cells, with any remaining excess drug washed out. Thus, only the minimal amount of the drug is required, minimizing the risk of adverse reactions.
4.Expected benefits / possible adverse reactions
NKM immune cell therapy
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- Expected benefits
- Anti-cancer effects against cancer cells that have evaded the three major therapies and have potential for new metastasis as well as survival benefits against diseases for which the treatment cannot be supported by the three major therapies are expected. Other expected benefits include improvement of weak constitutions, improvement of basic immunity, and radical curing of viral diseases.
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- Possible adverse reactions / complications
- As cells isolated from the patient’s blood are used, the risk of adverse reactions such as rejection is considered to be low. Some fever may occur.
5.Flow of therapy
Flow of therapy
Although the flow of therapy varies depending on the patient’s symptoms, the basic flow of NKM plus immune cell therapy is shown below. Immune cells are isolated from a collected blood sample and are cultured for about two weeks, after which the cultured cells are administered to the patient. Several doses of immune cells are administered at intervals of about one to two weeks. For standard therapy, one course consists of about two to three months, during which five to six doses are administered.
