Following a lead program of RK-pulsed autologous APCs, development of RK-pulsed allogeneic APCs as cellular and tissue-based products is now ongoing. RK-pulsed allogeneic APCs are produced through isolation of APCs from allogenic cells followed by co-culture with RK.

Manufacturing of allogenic cell product enables us to provide them promptly to cancer patients as off-the-shelf cell product which are kept in stock and ready to ship to medical institutions at any time. Therefore, a larger number of patients can take an immunotherapy with allogeneic cell product compared to that with autologous cell product.

Currently, fundamental research and non-clinical studies are in progress in order to initiate clinical studies after two or three years. Cell formulations prepared using allogeneic cells offer the advantages of consistent quality and opportunity for treatment at any time. On the other hand, they might evoke adverse effects due to hyper immune reactions (allogenic reactions), and it is therefore important to develop investigational cell product with reduced adverse effects before initiation of first-in-human clinical study. In relation to this issue, fundamental research is also underway to reduce the immunogenicity of allogeneic cells, and development of highly safe allogeneic cell product is our final goal.