Our products
Cytovir: Anti-viral Immune Reconstitution
Cytovir involves the infusion of antigen-specific T cells from a healthy donor into an immunosuppressed patient following stem cell transplant, in order to reconstitute the patient's immunity to prevent or treat infection from the targeted virus. This individualised cellular therapy is referred to as Virus Specific Immune Reconstitution (VSIR) and Cell Medica believes its clinical benefit cannot be matched by anti-viral drugs which do not act to restore immunity directly.
Patients who have undergone stem cell transplant are profoundly immunosuppressed for a period of up to 12 months following the procedure and, therefore, are highly vulnerable to infections and reactivation of latent viruses. The main culprits for post-transplant infectious complications are cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and adenovirus (ADV). Between 50-90% of the human population are carrying these latent viruses without symptoms, because a healthy immune system is constantly fighting the virus (with memory T cells) and preventing uncontrolled infection. In patients whose memory T cells have been destroyed during chemotherapy, these viruses will reactivate and cause serious disease.
Viral infections are the second leading cause of death after bone marrow transplant and patients often require extensive treatment and hospital care. While antiviral drugs can be used to control reactivation of latent viruses on an episodic basis, only the reconstitution of the patient’s immune system will provide long term protection against viral infections. Prolonged use of anti-viral drugs can be problematic due to the significant toxicity associated with these products. Cytovir is comprised of mature immune cells that are naturally occurring and do not have the toxic side effects associated with the use of anti-viral drugs.
Our current product, Cytovir CMV, is available to treat patients subject to a clinician's request.
We are also working towards the development of Cytovir ADV, for adenovirus infections in paediatric patients.