Tumor mutational burden (TMB), a biomarker used to assess whether a patient will respond to immunotherapy, needs to be recalculated in order to be useful for patients of Asian or African descent. Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found a significant bias in the estimated TMB values affecting these populations and adjusted them for those patients.
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) expressing the LRRC15 protein (leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 15) could be responsible for the suppression of antitumor immunity, according to a study using mouse models of pancreatic cancer. Scientists from Roche Holding AG subsidiary Genentech Inc. demonstrated in vivo that TGF-β type 2 receptor signaling in healthy universal fibroblasts produces cancer-associated LRRC15+ myofibroblasts.
Verismo Therapeutics Inc. has received U.S. orphan drug designation from the FDA for Synkir-110 for the treatment of patients with mesothelin-expressing mesotheliomas.
The State University of New York has presented new antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) consisting of trastuzumab antibody targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) covalently linked to Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and/or TLR8 agonists through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and infections.
Seagen Inc. and Lava Therapeutics NV have entered into an exclusive license agreement under which Seagen will work to develop, manufacture and commercialize LAVA-1223, a bispecific T-cell engager designed to target and activate Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing solid tumors.
Levena Biopharma Co. Ltd. and Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. have synthesized antibody-drug conjugates consisting of auristatin analogues covalently linked to monoclonal antibody targeting B-cell maturation protein (BCMA) through a linker.
Shanghai Allygen Biologics Co. Ltd. has synthesized new antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) comprising antibodies targeting programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (CD274; PD-L1) covalently linked to SN-38 through a linker and reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Abpro Corp. has entered into a strategic partnership with Celltrion Holdings Co. Ltd. for ABP-102, a bispecific antibody therapy for patients with HER2+ cancer, including breast, gastric and pancreatic cancers.
Invenra Inc. has announced preclinical data supporting the ongoing development of INV-322, a Sniper bispecific antibody co-targeting CTLA-4 and CD25 for cancer developed using Invenra's B-Body Platform.