Engineered Immunosuppressive Cell Surface Receptors for Graft Rejection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cell therapies, particularly allogeneic therapies, face significant immune rejection issues due to immunogenicity of gene-edited cells, leading to severe side effects and reduced persistence of therapeutic cells, necessitating improved methods to suppress immune rejection without lymphocyte depletion.

Innovation Solution

Development of an immunosuppressive molecule comprising an immunosuppressive protein binding domain, transmembrane domain, and co-stimulatory domain, which binds to multiple immunosuppressive proteins (e.g., NKG2A, TIM3, LAG3, TIGIT, CTLA4, PD1, FasL) to suppress immune cell function and proliferation, thereby reducing immune rejection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If allogeneic therapy is used, then production cost is reduced and waiting time is shortened, but immune rejection reaction occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidimmune rejection reaction
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful immune rejection reaction into a beneficial outcome by engineering therapeutic cells to express immunosuppressive molecules. These molecules actively suppress host immune cells, transforming the host's immune system from a harmful force into a controlled environment that supports therapeutic cell persistence and function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the immunological parameters of therapeutic cells by introducing engineered immunosuppressive molecules with specific binding affinities to multiple immunosuppressive proteins. This parameter change enables the cells to resist immune rejection while maintaining their therapeutic function, resolving the contradiction between allogeneic therapy benefits and immune rejection risks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If lymphocyte depletion is performed, then immune rejection reaction is reduced, but severe side effects occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmune rejection reactionVSAvoidside effects
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - engineered immunosuppressive molecules expressed on therapeutic cells - that mediates the suppression of host immune cells. This intermediary approach replaces the harsh lymphocyte depletion method with a targeted, cell-specific immunosuppression strategy that achieves the same goal without the severe side effects of systemic lymphocyte depletion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If gene editing is used to knock out TCR genes or HLA class I molecules, then graft rejection is reduced, but immunogenicity remains and other immune cells trigger responses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegraft rejectionVSAvoidimmunogenicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the approach to reducing graft rejection by focusing specifically on enhancing immunosuppressive molecule expression rather than knocking out essential genes like TCR or HLA class I. This segmented strategy maintains the necessary immunogenicity for therapeutic function while selectively suppressing rejection through multiple immunosuppressive pathways (NKG2A, TIM3, LAG3, TIGIT, CTLA4, PD1, FasL).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4663762A2Immune rejection-resistant engineered cell
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 HONGKONG BIOHENG BIOTECH LTD
  • EP4663762A2 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP4663762A2 patent drawingFigure 5~8
  • EP4663762A2 patent drawingFigure 9~11

AI summary

An immunosuppressive molecule comprising an immunosuppressive protein binding domain, a transmembrane domain and a co-stimulatory domain and the molecule does not comprise a primary signaling domain, wherein the immunosuppressive protein is selected from two or more of NKG2A, TIM3, LAG3, TIGIT, CTLA4, PD1 and FasL. An engineered cell expressing the immunosuppressive molecule and a composition comprising the engineered cell. A method for reducing immune rejection using the immunosuppressive molecule.