COVID-19 peptide specific T-cells and methods of treating and preventing COVID-19

A method of preparing COVID-19 peptide specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) comprising:

• a. a first stimulation step, whereby a first subset of monocytes is treated to induce maturation into dendritic cells (DCs), the DCs are pulsed with one or more COVID-19 specific peptides and co-cultured with lymphocytes for at least six days;
• b. a second stimulation step, whereby said lymphocytes are restimulated with the one or more COVID-19 specific peptides and an adherent monocyte layer and are cultured for at least seven days, said restimulated lymphocytes are selected for recognizing the one or more COVID-19 specific peptides due to preferential adherence to the adherent monocyte layer;
• and
• c. a third stimulation step, whereby said peptide specific lymphocytes are restimulated with a second subset of monocytes and pulsed with the one or more COVID-19 specific peptides, thereby producing COVID-19 peptide specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs).