DEVELOPING CELL THERAPIES AS DRUG PRODUCTS.

Ciccocioppo, Rachele; Comoli, Patrizia; Astori, Giuseppe; Del Bufalo, Francesca; Prapa, Malvina; Dominici, Massimo; Locatelli, Franco

In the last 20 years, the global regulatory frameworks for drug assessment have been managing the challenges posed by using cellular products as new therapeutic tools. Currently, they are defined as "Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products", comprising a large group of cellular types that either alone or in combination with gene and tissue engeneering technology have the potential to change the natural course of still letal or highly invalidating diseases, including cancers, opportunistic infections and chronic inflammatory conditions. Globally, more than 50 cell-based products have obtained market authorization. This overview describes the advantages and unsolved challenges on developing cells as innovative therapeutic vehicles. The main cell therapy players and the legal framework are discussed, starting from chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells for leukemias and solid tumors, dealing then with lymphocytes as potent anti-microbiological tools and then focusing on mesenchymal stem/stromal cells whose role is between regenerative medicine, immunology and anti-tumour therapy.