2024-Virus Specific T Cell Therapy to Treat Refractory Viral infections in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Solid organ transplant recipients require ongoing immunosuppression to prevent acute
rejection, which puts them at risk of opportunistic infections. Viral infections are particularly
challenging to prevent and treat as many establish latency and thus cannot be eliminated,
whereas targets for small molecule antiviral medications are limited. Resistance to antivirals
and unacceptable toxicity also complicate treatment. Virus-specific T cell therapies aim to
restore host-specific immunity to opportunistic viruses that is lacking due to ongoing
immunosuppressive therapy. This minireview will provide a state-of-the-art update of the
current virus-specific T cell pipeline and translational research that is likely to lead to further
treatment options for viral infections in solid organ transplant recipients