Immunocytokines (ICs) engage multiple mechanisms of action by the use of antibodies to deliver cytokine payloads to the surface of the same immune cell, known as cis-signaling. Researchers from Bright Peak Therapeutics AG have developed ICs by using a novel approach based on site-specific chemical conjugation of engineered cytokines to existing nonmodified antibodies.
CD39 has an essential role in converting extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP; pro-inflammatory) into adenosine monophosphate (AMP; anti-inflammatory). Preventing the action of CD39 in the tumor microenvironment would increase levels of ATP, causing myeloid cell activation and improvement of tumor control.
MGFB, a subsidiary of Fairwinds Bio, has entered into a patent license agreement with Mayo Clinic to advance experimental cancer vaccine therapeutics based on a novel platform developed at Mayo.
It was a busy day at Moderna Inc. as Merck & Co. Inc. exercised its option to jointly develop and commercialize a personalized cancer vaccine with Moderna in a deal the two companies inked in 2016. Moderna also notched another emergency use authorization (EUA) for its COVID-19 vaccine, this one targeting the omicron variant, for use by those under age 18.
Lyell Immunopharma Inc. has received FDA clearance for its IND application to initiate a phase I trial for LYL-845, an investigational tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy enhanced with Lyell's Epi-R technology for patients with relapsed and/or refractory metastatic or locally advanced melanoma and other select solid tumors.
Stratosvir Ltd. aims to overcome the drawbacks experienced with oncolytic viruses, using technology based around vaccinia viruses that allow for a systemic injection and with a larger payload capacity. Stratosvir was started up by CEO Chris Ullman and co-founder Antonio Postigo in 2020 with funding from Cancer Research UK and the Deep Science Ventures, tasked with finding new ways of treating solid tumors.
While no one can tell the future, a panel of autoantibodies developed by researchers at New York University Grossman School of Medicine and Perlmutter Cancer Center may give physicians a much better idea about how a patient will respond to immunotherapy. That could help improve therapy selection by accurately predicting whether a patient’s cancer will recur following immunotherapy or they will experience autoimmune side effects as a result of treatment, a study published in Clinical Cancer Research on Sept. 15 found.
