Process for t cell expansion

An in vitro expansion process for rapid expansion of antigen specific T cells, such as allogeneic antigen specific T 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 characterised 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.

A pharmaceutical composition expanded antigen-specific T cell population for a patient, wherein the composition comprises:

• a population of at least 70% CD3+ T cells and less than 30 percent of non CD3+ cells, where the total population of CD3+ cells does not exceed 5×104 cells per kg of patient, and said population of CD3+ cells comprises a therapeutic T cell population of CD4+ cells which have a primary characterization as Th1 characterised in that the relevant expanded antigen specific T cell population is able to expand in vivo.