Abstract: An in vitro expansion process for rapid expansion of antigen specific T cells, such as allogeneic antigen specific cells comprising the steps culturing in a gas permeable vessel a population of PBMCs (such as allogeneic PBMCs) in the presence of antigen, for example a peptide or peptide mix relevant to a target antigen(s), in the presence of an exogenous cytokine characterized in that the expansion to provide the desired population of T cells is 14 days or less, for example 9, 10, 11 or 12 days, such as 10 days. The disclosure also extends to T cell populations generated by and obtained from the method and the use of same in therapy.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses methods and compositions for the generation and use of cytotoxic T lymphocytes that target multiple viruses or that are specific for multiple tumor antigens. In specific embodiments, the generation methods employ use of certain cytokines to promote proliferation and reduce cell death in an activated T cell population and/or that employ a particular bioreactor having a gas permeable membrane.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a bi-specific chimeric T lymphocyte, wherein the lymphocyte comprises both an antigen-specific receptor, such as for Epstein-Barr Virus, and a chimeric receptor, such as for a tumor. In a particular embodiment, administration of an Epstein-Barr Virus T lymphocyte with an 14.G2a-&zgr; antitumor chimeric receptor is utilized for therapy of neuroblastoma.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for stimulating primary and secondary effector cell responses for cellular immunotherapy. Cellular immunotherapy can successfully prevent or treat various viral infections and tumors, such as posttransplant EBV lymphoma. The present invention offers a general method for effecting cellular immunotherapy by providing for presentation, by the most effective antigen presenting cells, viral particles or specific antigens, without the need to develop an active viral infection in the antigen presenting cells. Furthermore, the present invention provides for generating effector cells against more than one opportunistic pathogen, e.g., Epstein-Barr virus and adenovirus. The effector cells generated according to the invention, which include CD4 and CD8 cells, are extremely long lived in vivo after adoptive transfer.