New T-Cell Therapy Candidate Shows Potential Against SFTS Virus

According to a joint announcement on the 3rd, the therapy uses antigen-specific memory T-cells to target infected cells without damaging healthy tissue, marking a potential shift in how medical professionals approach this high-risk infectious disease.

What is the current status of SFTS treatment?

SFTS is a high-risk infectious disease transmitted primarily through the bite of an infected tick. Since it was designated as a legal infectious disease in 2013, there have been over 2,000 cumulative cases in South Korea. The disease carries a significant mortality rate of approximately 18%. Despite the consistent reports of infections and deaths—including recent cases in the Chungnam region—there are currently no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved for use anywhere in the world.

How does the LB-DTK-SFTSV therapy work?

The therapy utilizes a proprietary platform developed by Lucas Bio known as “DTK.” By leveraging blood samples from healthy donors who have no history of SFTS infection, researchers successfully generated memory T-cells specifically programmed to recognize and destroy cells infected with the SFTS virus.

Testing was conducted within a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facility. The data demonstrated that the T-cells could identify and neutralize the virus while leaving normal cells unaffected. This approach differs from previous experimental treatments that relied on the immune memory of patients who had already recovered from the disease, which limited the availability of source material. It is the first time that the killing efficacy of antigen-specific memory T-cells against actual infected cells has been verified among SFTS treatment candidates reported to date.

What are the next steps for clinical development?

Following these non-clinical results, Lucas Bio plans to accelerate the transition to clinical trials. The company is also working to establish a “Donor Banking System.” This system aims to create a ready-to-use supply of T-cells that are frozen and stored in advance. When a patient is diagnosed with SFTS, medical teams would only need to verify a match between the patient’s human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and the stored cells, allowing for immediate administration.

By removing the need for a convalescent donor for every new case, the platform could theoretically provide a faster response during outbreaks. Jo Seok-gu, head of Lucas Bio, noted that the success of the DTK platform in this study follows previous applications in other viral areas, including COVID-19, cytomegalovirus (CMV), BK virus (BKV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Summary of Key Findings

• Target: Selective elimination of SFTS virus-infected cells using antigen-specific memory T-cells.
• Technology: The DTK platform allows for the production of T-cells from healthy, non-infected donors.
• Safety: Efficacy was confirmed in BSL-3 laboratory conditions, showing no damage to healthy cells.
• Clinical Goal: Development of a donor banking system to enable rapid treatment for future patients.

Both organizations confirmed their commitment to ongoing collaboration to continue refining the platform.