Blog | HemaCare

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer cite the use of HemaCare starting materials in the development of a new immune cell validation assay. ^[1]

The new assay is designed to measure dendritic cell activation as a predictor of immunogenicity, so that scientists can assess risk early in the development of new pharmaceuticals. Low immunogenicity points toward a better overall safety profile.

Dendritic cells (DC) are antigen-presenting cells, involved in the initiation and regulation of the immune response. Since DC are tumor-infiltrating cells central to the initiation of antigen-specific immunity, they have long been investigated as a means of improving cancer immunotherapy.

In a recent publication, researchers at Cellular Technology Ltd. in the U.S., and Complutense University in Madrid, Spain cites using cryopreserved PBMCs from HemaCare for their COVID-19 research. [1]

The scientific group set out to answer one of the most important questions of the COVID-19 pandemic - how can we truly know whether someone has been exposed to the virus?

Widespread COVID-19 testing is helping governments and healthcare workers track the spread of the virus in an ongoing effort to isolate those who may be contagious from those who have not been exposed. However, most people exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, experience mild disease or are asymptomatic. This means that the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies may fade quickly after infection, increasing the chance of a false-negative test result.

A recent collaborative study published by Amgen and Kite Pharma cites the use of HemaCare sourced peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in their investigative effort on the development of a novel CAR T cell therapy. ^[1]

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a form of blood cancer characterized by the rapid buildup of abnormal cells in the bone marrow. The disease affects about a million people globally and, tragically, has a less than 30% survival rate.

A paper published in the journal Blood cites the use of HemaCare-sourced peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to test a murine model of a new antibody-based cancer immunotherapy.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a life-threatening disease that accounts for 10-15% of all blood-based cancers. The disease occurs when a specific group of white blood cells, known as plasma cells, become malignant. T cell therapy has shown some promise in treating the disease on a temporary basis, but with very few cancer-specific targets identified, MM remains incurable.

An independent study carried out at a Cellular Technology Ltd. cites using HemaCare PBMCs in their efforts to replicate physiological B cell activation in an assay format. [1]

Memory B cells function as the foundation of the adaptive immune system, creating a physiological catalogue of foreign antigens that can be used to “recognize” invading pathogens and trigger an immune response. Memory B cells can survive for decades, creating long-term protection against diseases that have been encountered previously.