Expansion Of Cord Blood-Derived CD34+ Cells In A Hollow-Fiber Bioreactor With 10% Standard Cytokine Concentration

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are crucial for gene therapies treating sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, and immune reconstitution. These rare CD34+ blood progenitors are challenging to obtain in sufficient numbers from their primary sources: peripheral blood, bone marrow, and cord blood. Expanding HSCs is essential for meeting therapeutic needs, but high growth factor costs hinder this approach.

We developed a novel method to efficiently expand HSCs from cord blood. By using a hollow-fiber bioreactor, a reduced-dose cytokine cocktail, and a MSC-free coating, we successfully increased HSC numbers from 2 million to 100 million.