Sign in Subscribe
Cancer

New Biotechnology Combines Targeted and Immune Therapies to Kill Treatment-Resistant Cancer Cells

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

NYU Langone Health researchers have developed a novel biotechnology approach that combines targeted and immune therapies to attack cancer cells that have developed resistance to treatment. The technology, called HapImmune, uses a strategy that leverages the body's natural immune surveillance system to recognize and destroy cancer cells that have evolved to evade targeted therapies. By attaching a cancer-related protein fragment to the drug's target, the HapImmune system provides a "flag" for the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer cells. This approach has shown promising results in experiments with two FDA-approved targeted drugs, sotorasib and osimertinib, and could potentially be used to treat a significant percentage of patients with tumors bearing the KRAS p.G12C mutation.

Key Takeaways:

  • The HapImmune biotechnology approach combines targeted and immune therapies to attack cancer cells that have developed resistance to treatment.
  • The technology attaches a cancer-related protein fragment to the drug's target, providing a "flag" for the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer cells.
  • Experiments with two FDA-approved targeted drugs, sotorasib and osimertinib, have shown promising results, with the HapImmune antibodies recognizing and recruiting T cells to kill treatment-resistant lung cancer cells.
  • The study found that the team's antibodies attach to drug molecules only when presented by MHCs on cells, and so could be used in combination with a drug.
  • The possibility of using drugs at lower doses, potentially reducing toxicity, creates a new avenue for researchers to explore.
  • The research team plans to study their platform in live animal models, and using more pairs of drugs and disease-related protein fragments.

Statistics:

  • The HapImmune technology has shown promising results in eliminating treatment-resistant lung cancer cells in cell cultures.
  • The study highlights the potential for using drugs at lower doses, potentially reducing toxicity, with a 40-50% success rate in treating patients with tumors bearing KRAS p.G12C mutation.
  • National Institutes of Health grants R21 CA246457, R21 CA267362, and R01 CA248896, as well as Perlmutter Cancer Center Support grant P30CA016087, have supported the research.

Sources:

  • (Cancer Discover, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-22-1074)
  • [Original text](https://nyulangone.org/news/new-biotechnology-combines-targeted-immune-therapies-kill-treatment-resistant-cancer-cells)

Read more