Innovative antibody shows promise for personalised cancer treatment

Scientists from Uppsala University and KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed a new type of antibody that could lead to safer and more effective cancer treatments. 

This research, published in Nature Communications, describes how the antibody boosts the effect of T cells – the body’s natural cancer-fighting cells – on tumours. The antibody both targets specific mutations found only in cancer cells (called neoantigens) and stimulates immune cells, which increases their response against the tumour.

Lead authors Sara Mangsbo, Professor at the Department of Pharmacy at Uppsala University, and Johan Rockberg, Professor at KTH, explain that this approach is designed for precision medicine, where treatments are tailored to each patient’s cancer. The new antibody has shown promising results in early tests; in blood samples, it activated the right immune cells and in animal tests it extended survival in mice and, at higher doses, even helped prevent some from developing cancer. Importantly, this approach also appears safer than many current treatments.

Additionally, the drug is designed to be easier and faster to produce. It consists of two parts: a bispecific antibody that can be mass-produced, and a custom-made peptide that can be quickly prepared for each patient’s specific cancer. According to Rockberg, “This setup reduces production costs and shortens the time needed to tailor the drug for individual patients, allowing them to start treatment sooner.”

The team’s goal is to create a cancer treatment that is more flexible, faster acting, and safer than existing options. Next, they plan to prepare the drug for human safety studies, with the aim of beginning clinical trials soon.

“We have been researching precision medicine for close to 15 years now, as well as how we can use antibodies to influence an important key protein (CD40) in the immune system,” commented Mangsbo. “We can now show that our new antibody method works as precision medicine for cancer.”

Source:
New antibody could be promising cancer treatment [Accessed November 12, 2024] https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1064404