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A study demonstrated that the pancreas has its own microbiome, capable of
suppressing immune response and facilitating tumour growth
lung cancer overproduce, promoting tumour growth. Additionally, the recent Merck bid to pur- chase Immune Design has the potential to advance cancer vaccine progress by combining Merck’s immune-oncology portfolio and pipeline with Immune Design’s two proprietary platforms (GLAAS® and ZVex®), designed to activate and expand the immune system’s ability to create tumour-specific cytotoxic T-cells in vivo. These ventures came on the heels of several
major developments in the oncology space in late 2018, including Illumina’s pending acquisition of Pacific Biosciences – a move that should greatly advance the critical field of genome sequencing by combining both long and short-read genome sequencing technologies. Partnerships such as these reflect some of the prime
areas of focus for oncology investigators, as they build on initial successes and explore new treatment avenues. Unsurprisingly, it is evident that immunother- apy will continue to be a major emphasis.
What is next for cell and gene therapy Within the immunotherapy arena, the growing field
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of cell and gene therapy is likely to benefit from col- laborative efforts that can drive new innovations. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy – in which a patient’s own T-cells are genetically modified to target proteins expressed on a tumour – is one such example. The first approved CAR-T therapies (Kymriah® from Novartis and Yescarta® from Gilead) are indicated for hematologic cancers; as of this writing, no CAR-T therapies have been approved for solid tumours. With a goal of bringing this therapeutic option to a broader range of patients, a team of researchers in Sweden tested CAR-T therapy efficacy in melanoma. Engrafting xenografts in interleukin-2 (IL-2) transgenic NOG mice, in which the human IL-2 cytokine is expressed, they found CAR-T-cells were able to kill uveal and cutaneous melanoma in vivo and in vitro. The therapy proved effective even in patients resis- tant to adoptive cell transfer of autologous tumour- infiltrating T lymphocytes1. The BMS-Celgene merger is but one example of a collaboration with the potential to enhance CAR-T therapy efficacy and expand its utility, given that Celgene has CAR- T drug candidates in various investigational phases.
Drug Discovery World Spring 2019
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