Patent 8470789 was granted and assigned to DCPrime on June, 2013 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The present invention relates to a method for the production of functional dendritic cells wherein CD34 positive cells are contacted with compounds inducing and accelerating the differentiation of these CD34 positive cells into functional dendritic cells. More in particular, the CD34 positive cells are contacted with anthracyclines and/or anthracenediones. In another aspect, the current invention relates to the cells obtainable by the method according to the invention. In a further aspect the current invention relates to the use of compounds such as anthracyclines and/or anthracenediones that induce and accelerate the differentiation of CD34 positive cells into functional dendritic cells in the manufacture of a medicament for inducing an immune response in human in need thereof.