CAR-T cell therapy is a new form of cancer immunotherapy currently being used in the successful treatment of children and adults suffering from certain types of leukemia. Fraunhofer IZI is a key manufacturing and development site for one of the CAR-T cell therapeutics that has already been authorized for this treatment, Kymriah® (CTL019), as well as for other advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) used in areas beyond the field of immuno-oncology. Along with the University Cancer Center Leipzig (UCCL) at University Hospital Leipzig (UKL), the Saxon metropolis is now well on its way to becoming a renowned location for cancer research and therapy, as reflected in the DG-GT’s decision to hold this year’s annual meeting together with Fraunhofer IZI.

As well as discussing current preclinical developments, attendees from the fields of science, medicine and business will use the DG-GT theme day to look at the latest findings and trends in the manufacture of gene transfer vectors (“gene taxis”) and debate the progress and outcomes of clinical trials. The spotlight will also be placed on ethical and regulatory aspects linked to novel immunotherapies. The costs involved in this kind of cancer immunotherapy are extremely high as its manufacture is largely dependent on manual processes and is extremely time-consuming.

The theme day will be kicked off on September 16 by DG-GT President Prof. Boris Fehse, who heads up the Cell and Gene Therapy research department at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf’s (UKE) Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, and Director of Fraunhofer IZI Prof. Ulrike Köhl, who also holds a professorship of immuno-oncology at the UKL. Ahead of the event, the speakers will take part in the DG-GT schools day, held under the banner “Gene therapy: healing through genes – (how) is this possible?”, where they will answer questions put to them by school pupils from in and around Leipzig on the topic of gene therapy.

As of next year, an annual series of conferences will then be held in Leipzig that will focus on the latest developments in specific areas of immuno-oncology. The first “LION – Leipzig Immune ONcology Conference” (www.lion-conference.com) will take place November 10 until 12, 2020, and will be organized by Fraunhofer IZI and the UCCL.

DG-GT Theme Day »CAR-T cells and beyond«
16 and 17 September 2019 at the Fraunhofer IZI in Leipzig, Germany
www.dg-gt.de/Congress/Current-Meeting.aspx

German Society for Gene Therapy (DG-GT)

The German Society for Gene Therapy (DG-GT) emerged in 1994 as an association of scientists and doctors who were exploring issues related to experimental and clinical gene therapy. It became a registered society in 1995. The DG-GT brings together scientists and clinicians whose work delves into all kinds of subareas associated with the development of vectors, gene transfer techniques and gene therapy treatment strategies along with their clinical implementation.
www.dg-gt.de

Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI

The Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI investigates and develops solutions to specific problems at the interfaces of medicine, life sciences and engineering. One of the institute‘s main tasks is to conduct contract research for companies, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and research institutes operating in the field of biotechnology, pharma­ceuticals and medical engineering. The Fraunhofer IZI develops, optimizes and validates methods, materials and products for the business units Cell and Gene Therapy, Drugs and Diagnostics. Its areas of competence lie in cell biology, immunology, drug biochemistry, bioanalytics and bioproduction as well as process development and automation. In these areas, research specifically focusses on the indications oncology, immunological diseases as well as infectious diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.
www.izi.fraunhofer.de/en
 

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Dr. Ulrike Köhl (LOC President)
Director
Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI
Perlickstraße 1
04103 Leipzig
Germany
Phone: +49 341 35536-9110
ulrike.koehl@izi.fraunhofer.de

Prof. Dr. Boris Fehse (President DG-GT e.V.)
Research Dept. Cell and Gene Therapy, Dept. of SCT
University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf
Martinistrasse 52
20246 Hamburg
Germany
Phone: +49 40 7410-55518
fehse@uke.de