CHSCB - Catholic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank

Catholic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank has made unique achievements in the research field of MHC genes which is the key subject for the immune system. In 1969, Catholic University succeeded in performing a kidney transplant for the first time in Korea and in 1974, UCLA donated an HLA type kit for it to perform a serological test only to invigorate the domestic academia of implantology which had relied only on MLC(Mixed Leukocyte Culture). Based on this, in 1983, it performed a bone marrow transplant between siblings for leukemia which had been known as an incurable disease for the first time in Korea. Moreover, in 1980, it held an HLA typing workshop for the first time in Korea, developed an HLA alloantibody for HLA testing and solely developed a serological HLA testing kit in Korea. Based on such researches, in 1994, it performed a non-blood related hematopoietic stem cells transplant. Its HLA test method and transplant for high resolutions have been well developed and made the success rate of non-blood related hematopoietic stem cells transplant close enough to that among siblings. The development of this HLA test method has found the congruity of not only oneself and his/her siblings but also non-blood related histocompatibility antigens. This has helped the beneficiaries and donors find their congruity of histocompatibility antigens for immunotherapy and helped to produce cellutoxic T cells which are the core of immunotherapy based on the study of HLA antigen processing and MHC limitations.

Immunotherapy refers to the treatment using the patient鈥檚 own immune system. As the patient is using his/her own defense capability, basically, they are free from side effects and can use many advantages of the immune system including their memory, patrol ability, etc. It can be used for incurable diseases, especially cancer, automimmune diseases, organ transplants, chronic infections and incurable infections. Immunotherapy can be performed by activating the patient鈥檚 immune system like vaccines or by injecting cytokines or cellutoxic T cells and controlling a certain immune system.

Since 1997, Catholic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank has been making steady researches on the immune system based on cellutoxic T cells, has produced cellutoxic T cells in test tubes, has done basic research on tumor antigens, has developed antigen-presenting cells and techniques to measure immune reactions. Owing to this research on cellutoxic T cells, it has reported a method of immunotherapy to treat cellutoxic T cells for the first internal patient with tumor(2006. Int J Hematol.). Contents of the study presented the establishment of an LCL cell strain which manifested EBV genes and was used for antigen-presenting cells through the blood of the patient or donor. EBV special cellutoxic T cells in test tubes were produced and three of the EBV positive patients of angiocentric lymphomas were injected with CTLs. One of them died and two lived more than five years. Such results verified the fact that CTLs therapy made in the test tube is free from side effects.

Based on the studies mentioned above, active research is still continuously made. In 2004, a clinical test on the 鈥�1st and 2nd Phase Clinical Testing for the Prevention of Virus Infections and Treatment Using EBV/CMV Virus Special Cell Toxic T Cell after the Transplantation of the Same Kind of Hematopoietic Stem Cells was performed and was reported to the Korea Food & Drug Administration in 2006. In March 2005, an urgent clinical test on the 鈥淣onacceptance of CMV virus special cellutoxic T cells after the transplant of the same type of hematopoietic stem cells and the treatment of CMV virus blood poisoning鈥� was performed. Seven injections of CMV-CTLswere shot to patients who were suffering from CMV virus blood poisoning after osteomyelodysplasia and the transplantation of the same type of hematopoietic stem cells and checked the complete process. In August 2005, an urgent clinical test on the 鈥淲T1 special cellutoxic T cells immunotherapy for the treatment of the nonacceptance and indirectness of acute myelocyte leukemia which recurred after the transplantation of the same type of hematopoietic stem cells鈥� was performed. Four injections of WT1-CTLs were shot to patients who were suffering from osteomyelodysplasia, secondary leukemia and the transplantation of the same type of hematopoietic stem cells, checked the complete process and reported it to the Korea Food & Drug Administration.

Immunotherapy is an effective way to cure many diseases that are difficult to treat by modern medicine. We should continuously find ways to understand the human immune system and control it. If we use the immunotherapy on humans, establishing facilities of a GMP(good manufacturing practice) level is of urgent priority. Based on the GMP facilities of the Catholic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank which were constructed in August 2006, an immunotherapy based on the GMP standards has been possible and various researches will be taken in the future.