Augmentation of cell therapy efficacy including treatment with alpha 1,3 fucosyltransferase

A method of enhancing homing and engraftment of one or more T cells, the method comprising the step of:

• (i) isolating a T cell population from a blood sample from a patient, wherein the T cell population comprises cytotoxic T cells;
• (ii) expanding the cytotoxic T cells present in the T cell population ex vivo;
• (iii) contacting the T cell population with α1,3-fucosyltransferase VII and a fucose carrier ex vivo to fucosylate at least one surface molecule on the cytotoxic T cells to enhance selectin mediated binding thereof;
• (iv) combining the fucosylated, expanded cytotoxic T cells with a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier to provide a pharmaceutical composition capable of administration to the patient;
• and
• (v) administering the pharmaceutical composition to the patient via a route selected from a group comprising intravenously, intraarterially, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, transdermally, intratracheally, intraperitoneally, intravitreally, and combinations thereof.