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Author

Laurent Poirot

Bio: Laurent Poirot is an academic researcher from Royal Holloway, University of London. The author has contributed to research in topics: Chimeric antigen receptor & Immunotherapy. The author has an hindex of 23, co-authored 66 publications receiving 2484 citations.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The applicability of TALEN-mediated genome editing to a scalable process enables the manufacturing of third-party CAR T-cell immunotherapies against arbitrary targets and can therefore be used in an "off-the-shelf" manner akin to other biologic immunopharmaceuticals.
Abstract: Adoptive immunotherapy using autologous T cells endowed with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) has emerged as a powerful means of treating cancer. However, a limitation of this approach is that autologous CAR T cells must be generated on a custom-made basis. Here we show that electroporation of transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) mRNA allows highly efficient multiplex gene editing in primary human T cells. We use this TALEN-mediated editing approach to develop a process for the large-scale manufacturing of T cells deficient in expression of both their αβ T-cell receptor (TCR) and CD52, a protein targeted by alemtuzumab, a chemotherapeutic agent. Functionally, T cells manufactured with this process do not mediate graft-versus-host reactions and are rendered resistant to destruction by alemtuzumab. These characteristics enable the administration of alemtuzumab concurrently or prior to engineered T cells, supporting their engraftment. Furthermore, endowing the TALEN-engineered cells with a CD19 CAR led to efficient destruction of CD19(+) tumor targets even in the presence of the chemotherapeutic agent. These results demonstrate the applicability of TALEN-mediated genome editing to a scalable process, which enables the manufacturing of third-party CAR T-cell immunotherapies against arbitrary targets. As such, CAR T-cell immunotherapies can therefore be used in an "off-the-shelf" manner akin to other biologic immunopharmaceuticals

515 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This Review analyses the different sources of T cells and technological approaches to produce optimal allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cells with limited potential for graft-versus-host disease and increased persistence and describes the different technological approaches.
Abstract: Autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have changed the therapeutic landscape in haematological malignancies. Nevertheless, the use of allogeneic CAR T cells from donors has many potential advantages over autologous approaches, such as the immediate availability of cryopreserved batches for patient treatment, possible standardization of the CAR-T cell product, time for multiple cell modifications, redosing or combination of CAR T cells directed against different targets, and decreased cost using an industrialized process. However, allogeneic CAR T cells may cause life-threatening graft-versus-host disease and may be rapidly eliminated by the host immune system. The development of next-generation allogeneic CAR T cells to address these issues is an active area of research. In this Review, we analyse the different sources of T cells for optimal allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy and describe the different technological approaches, mainly based on gene editing, to produce allogeneic CAR T cells with limited potential for graft-versus-host disease. These improved allogeneic CAR-T cell products will pave the way for further breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer. The use of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cells from donors has many potential advantages over autologous approaches, such as immediate availability, standardization and the possibility of redosing or combination. This Review analyses the different sources of T cells and technological approaches to produce optimal allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cells with limited potential for graft-versus-host disease and increased persistence.

506 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: These alternative approaches based on non-viral vectorization and/or targeted insertion aimed at achieving safer gene transfer are reviewed, with a special emphasis on megan nucleases, a family of naturally occurring rare-cutting endonucleases, and speculate on their current and future potential.
Abstract: The importance of safer approaches for gene therapy has been underscored by a series of severe adverse events (SAEs) observed in patients involved in clinical trials for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Disease (SCID) and Chromic Granulomatous Disease (CGD). While a new generation of viral vectors is in the process of replacing the classical gamma-retrovirus – based approach, a number of strategies have emerged based on non-viral vectorization and/or targeted insertion aimed at achieving safer gene transfer. Currently, these methods display lower efficacies than viral transduction although many of them can yield more than 1% engineered cells in vitro. Nuclease-based approaches, wherein an endonuclease is used to trigger site-specific genome editing, can significantly increase the percentage of targeted cells. These methods therefore provide a real alternative to classical gene transfer as well as gene editing. However, the first endonuclease to be in clinic today is not used for gene transfer, but to inactivate a gene (CCR5) required for HIV infection. Here, we review these alternative approaches, with a special emphasis on meganucleases, a family of naturally occurring rare-cutting endonucleases, and speculate on their current and future potential.

372 citations

Patent
01 Apr 2014
TL;DR: In this article, RNA-guided endonucleases, in particular Cas9/CRISPR system, were used to specifically target a selection of key genes in T-cells for immunotherapy.
Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of developing genetically engineered, preferably non-alloreactive T-cells for immunotherapy. This method involves the use of RNA-guided endonucleases, in particular Cas9/CRISPR system, to specifically target a selection of key genes in T-cells. The engineered T-cells are also intended to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) to redirect their immune activity towards malignant or infected cells. The invention opens the way to standard and affordable adoptive immunotherapy strategies using T-Cells for treating cancer and viral infections.

179 citations

Patent
13 May 2013
TL;DR: This article used rare cutting endonucleases, in particular TALE-nucleases (TAL effector endonuclease) and polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, to precisely target a selection of key genes in T-cells.
Abstract: Methods for developing engineered T-cells for immunotherapy that are both non-alloreactive and resistant to immunosuppressive drugs. The present invention relates to methods for modifying T-cells by inactivating both genes encoding target for an immunosuppressive agent and T-cell receptor, in particular genes encoding CD52 and TCR. This method involves the use of specific rare cutting endonucleases, in particular TALE-nucleases (TAL effector endonuclease) and polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, to precisely target a selection of key genes in T-cells, which are available from donors or from culture of primary cells. The invention opens the way to standard and affordable adoptive immunotherapy strategies for treating cancer and viral infections.

168 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A modified version of the CRISPR-Cas9 system has been developed to recruit heterologous domains that can regulate endogenous gene expression or label specific genomic loci in living cells, which will undoubtedly transform biological research and spur the development of novel molecular therapeutics for human disease.
Abstract: Targeted genome editing using engineered nucleases has rapidly gone from being a niche technology to a mainstream method used by many biological researchers. This widespread adoption has been largely fueled by the emergence of the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) technology, an important new approach for generating RNA-guided nucleases, such as Cas9, with customizable specificities. Genome editing mediated by these nucleases has been used to rapidly, easily and efficiently modify endogenous genes in a wide variety of biomedically important cell types and in organisms that have traditionally been challenging to manipulate genetically. Furthermore, a modified version of the CRISPR-Cas9 system has been developed to recruit heterologous domains that can regulate endogenous gene expression or label specific genomic loci in living cells. Although the genome-wide specificities of CRISPR-Cas9 systems remain to be fully defined, the power of these systems to perform targeted, highly efficient alterations of genome sequence and gene expression will undoubtedly transform biological research and spur the development of novel molecular therapeutics for human disease.

2,930 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Current Protocols in Molecular Biology Title NLM.

1,258 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Cas9 protein, derived from type II CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) bacterial immune systems, is emerging as a powerful tool for engineering the genome in diverse organisms.
Abstract: The Cas9 protein (CRISPR-associated protein 9), derived from type II CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) bacterial immune systems, is emerging as a powerful tool for engineering the genome in diverse organisms. As an RNA-guided DNA endonuclease, Cas9 can be easily programmed to target new sites by altering its guide RNA sequence, and its development as a tool has made sequence-specific gene editing several magnitudes easier. The nuclease-deactivated form of Cas9 further provides a versatile RNA-guided DNA-targeting platform for regulating and imaging the genome, as well as for rewriting the epigenetic status, all in a sequence-specific manner. With all of these advances, we have just begun to explore the possible applications of Cas9 in biomedical research and therapeutics. In this review, we describe the current models of Cas9 function and the structural and biochemical studies that support it. We focus on the applications of Cas9 for genome editing, regulation, and imaging, discuss other possible applications and some technical considerations, and highlight the many advantages that CRISPR/Cas9 technology offers.

876 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recent advances of the three major genome editing technologies are reviewed and the applications of their derivative reagents as gene editing tools in various human diseases and potential future therapies are discussed, focusing on eukaryotic cells and animal models.
Abstract: Based on engineered or bacterial nucleases, the development of genome editing technologies has opened up the possibility of directly targeting and modifying genomic sequences in almost all eukaryotic cells. Genome editing has extended our ability to elucidate the contribution of genetics to disease by promoting the creation of more accurate cellular and animal models of pathological processes and has begun to show extraordinary potential in a variety of fields, ranging from basic research to applied biotechnology and biomedical research. Recent progress in developing programmable nucleases, such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)–Cas-associated nucleases, has greatly expedited the progress of gene editing from concept to clinical practice. Here, we review recent advances of the three major genome editing technologies (ZFNs, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9) and discuss the applications of their derivative reagents as gene editing tools in various human diseases and potential future therapies, focusing on eukaryotic cells and animal models. Finally, we provide an overview of the clinical trials applying genome editing platforms for disease treatment and some of the challenges in the implementation of this technology.

858 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Some of the most recent and promising advances in engineered T cell Therapy are described with a particular emphasis on what the next generation of T cell therapy is likely to entail.
Abstract: The immune system evolved to distinguish non-self from self to protect the organism. As cancer is derived from our own cells, immune responses to dysregulated cell growth present a unique challenge. This is compounded by mechanisms of immune evasion and immunosuppression that develop in the tumour microenvironment. The modern genetic toolbox enables the adoptive transfer of engineered T cells to create enhanced anticancer immune functions where natural cancer-specific immune responses have failed. Genetically engineered T cells, so-called 'living drugs', represent a new paradigm in anticancer therapy. Recent clinical trials using T cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or engineered T cell receptors (TCRs) have produced stunning results in patients with relapsed or refractory haematological malignancies. In this Review we describe some of the most recent and promising advances in engineered T cell therapy with a particular emphasis on what the next generation of T cell therapy is likely to entail.

847 citations