Unmet Need
Cancer treatment is an ongoing endeavor across the globe and there have been many milestones achieved recently in successfully treating cancer, such as immunotherapy and gene therapies. The current gold standards for the treatment of blood cancers include chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell transplants, surgery, and immunotherapy. Each of the treatment options have their own benefits and downsides, such as immunosuppression, invasiveness, off-target effects, and failure to detect mutated and transformed cancer cells. This results in the need for the development of new and novel cancer therapies such as immune stimulating antibody conjugates (ISAC). ISACs are a subcategory of the clinically-approved antibody drug conjugates being used in cancer treatment today; instead of carrying a cytotoxic payload, ISAC contains a biologic that stimulates both innate and adaptive immune responses against the detected cancer cells. Despite its potential, there are no clinically-approved ISACs; therefore, there is a strong need for the development and advancement of new ways to combine tumor targeting antibodies with immune stimulating agonists.
Technology Overview
Inventors at Johns Hopkins have developed a novel way to target certain cancer cells to be destroyed by the host immune system, by promoting cancer cell phagocytosis and subsequent stimulation of cancer-specific adaptive immune response.
Stage of Development
The product is currently at the preclinical stage. In vitro and small animal proof-of-concepts have been established and currently are validating dose responses. Next step would be GLP manufacture and toxicity studies.
Publication
N/A
