Xeno-free serum replacement for ex vivo culture and expansion of T cells

Background The manufacture of a majority of clinical T cell products for immunotherapy applications requires ex vivo T cell culture and expansion. Commercialization of T cell manufacturing processes requires reagents that meet regulatory guidelines and ultimately help reduce manufacturing cost of goods. A key component in many T cell culture protocols is human serum, which is expensive and may require testing prior to use for the manufacture of a cGMP-compliant T cell product. To this end, we have developed a xeno-free serum replacement supplement with defined components that can be used in combination with several different cell culture media to support ex vivo expansion of T cells.