27 Dec Vaccine Nanodiscs Can Trigger More Cancer Fighting Immune Cells

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. James Moon

James Moon, PhD
John Gideon Searle Assistant Professor
University of Michigan
Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering
Biointerfaces Institute
Ann Arbor, MI, 48109

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: The field of cancer immunotherapy has recently made a breakthrough with the clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which work by removing the brakes on immunosuppressed T-cells. However, these approaches generally work by augmenting pre-existing T-cell immunity and benefit only a subset of patients. In addition, because the majority of somatic mutations in cancer cells are unique to each patient, cancer immunotherapy may benefit from a personalized approach.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Designer Vaccine Nanodiscs For Cancer Immunotherapy

Response: We have developed a new cancer vaccine technology that tackles these challenges. We have produced homogeneous, stable, and ultrasmall nanodiscs that can efficiently deliver tumor antigen peptides and adjuvants to lymphoid tissues. Our nano-vaccines elicit robust anti-tumor immunity against new tumor epitopes, including neo-antigens specific to unique tumor mutations in a personalized manner. Our strategy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors generates striking levels of anti-tumor immunity that eradicates established tumors and protects animals against tumor recurrence.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Our vaccine nanodiscs, which have an established clinical manufacturing procedure and excellent safety profiles in humans, can generate significantly enhanced T-cell responses, compared with conventional vaccines.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Coupled with the recent innovations in tumor DNA/RNA sequencing, our nanodisc strategy may usher a new era of personalized cancer immunotherapy with patient-specific tumor antigens. We are working to translate our results to the clinic. 

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response: We have formed a new startup company EVOQ Therapeutics (www.evoqtherapeutics.com) to translate our results to the clinic.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

Rui Kuai, Lukasz J. Ochyl, Keith S. Bahjat, Anna Schwendeman, James J. Moon. Designer vaccine nanodiscs for personalized cancer immunotherapy. Nature Materials, 2016; DOI: 10.1038/nmat4822

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Last Updated on December 27, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD