A recently published study in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer presents a novel bispecific antibody-cytokine fusion protein that effectively enhances antitumor immunity.
The U.S. FDA approved Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda Qlex (pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph) injection on Sept. 19, making it the first and only subcutaneously (SC)-administered immune checkpoint inhibitor that can be administered in about a minute.
Hangzhou Zhongmei Huadong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has divulged antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) comprising antibodies targeting human mucin-17 (MUC17) covalently linked to a cytotoxic drug through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Osteosarcoma, the most common bone cancer in children and young adults, has poor outcomes after relapse with only ~18% 5-year survival, underscoring the urgent need for new therapies. Researchers from New York Medical College and colleagues have now demonstrated a new strategy to improve the efficacy of natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy for osteosarcoma.
Immuto Scientific Inc. has closed an $8 million seed 2 financing round and entered into a drug discovery collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. Immuto applies its target discovery platform and structural epitope‑mapping engine to identify disease‑specific surface protein conformations.
Metastatic and relapsed osteosarcoma remains challenging to treat despite the introduction of advanced surgical techniques, intensified chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Adoptive immunotherapies such as CAR T cells, despite being in nascent stages, are considered a potential option for treating aggressive solid tumors such as osteosarcoma.
When Robert Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of 22 projects related to mRNA vaccines and the end of new investments in that technology, the U.S. Secretary of Health only mentioned their use against respiratory viruses, without referring to other applications. The vaccines whose safety and effectiveness Kennedy is questioning are based on the same molecular principles as cancer vaccines under development. “Continued investment in mRNA technology is essential to fully realize its potential in oncology and ensure that promising strategies like neoantigen-based vaccines reach clinical application.” Kazuhiro Kakimi, professor at the Department of Immunology at Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, told BioWorld.
Researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong University and Southern University of Science and Technology have conducted a comprehensive preclinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a second-generation CAR T therapy targeting trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.
In August, a press release from HHS announced the cancellation of 22 vaccine research projects based on mRNA, the latest available technology aimed at developing therapies for viral infections, cancer, and genetic conditions. What happens to mRNA innovation when funding dries up? This series explores how reductions in funding could impact mRNA technology, affecting innovation, research and future therapies.
HCW Biologics Inc. has developed second-generation, tissue factor-targeting T-cell engagers (TCEs) to treat solid tumors, particularly pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma, constructed with its novel proprietary TRBC product discovery and development platform technology.