Definition

A preparation of allogeneic cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) transfected with the Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon, CD19CAR (CARCIK-CD19), with potential immunomodulatory and antineoplastic activities. CIK cells are CD3- and CD56-positive, non-major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted, natural killer (NK)-like T lymphocytes. Upon infusion following an allogeneic stem cell transplantation, the CARCIK-CD19 cells bind to CD19-expressing tumor cells, thereby inducing selective toxicity in CD19-expressing tumor cells. CIK cells may have enhanced cytotoxic activity compared to lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. CD19 is a B-cell specific cell surface antigen expressed in all B-cell lineage malignancies.