Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard’s Post

🚀 More Exciting News in Cancer Research 🌟 In a groundbreaking moment at the recent European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, scientists unveiled an unprecedented success in the fight against bladder cancer. A combination of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) has cut the risk of death in advanced bladder cancer by over 50% — a remarkable breakthrough in a field where survival rates have seen little improvement for decades. This innovative approach combines tumor-targeting antibodies with potent toxic agents, providing a direct and precise strike at cancer cells. The combination of drugs used was recently approved by the FDA. This achievement is not just limited to bladder cancer; it hints at a new era in cancer treatment. Trials combining ADCs with immune-boosting drugs have shown remarkable potential, paving the way for further research. 🙌 https://lnkd.in/eJCB9seA https://lnkd.in/gZaQzRtm #cancerresearch #healthcareinnovation #MedicalBreakthroughs Galatea Bio Inc.

There is increasing interest in developing #neoantigen-specific #cancer therapies including #HLA-peptide targeted #TCR T cells and TCR mimic #antibodies. In an extensive study of more than 426'000 cancer patients, Foundation Medicine report the landscape of #KRAS mutations, a basis for the development of clinical trials with such targeted therapies. While KRAS was altered in a total of 23% of patients, the frequency and distribution of variants varies dramatically with the cancer type. While in pancreatic cancer, more than 90% of patients exhibit altered KRAS, #PDAC show primarily G12D and G12V mutations. However, #NCSLC, G12C is the most frequent mutation with 14% of cancers carrying this mutation. Development of successful KRAS neoepitope therapeutics therefore require deep understanding of the mutation landscape and a sophisticated personalized diagnostic strategy for the inclusion of the right patient population. #precisionmedicine #immunotherapy #immunopeptidomics #celltherapy

High levels of immunosuppressive adenosine in the tumor microenvironment can contribute to cancer immune evasion. The ectoenzyme CD39 and CD73, expressed on the cell surface, are involved in the adenosine pathway, and high levels of both have been found in many types of cancers. What exactly is their role in the tumor microenvironment, and could this knowledge be leveraged to optimize immunotherapy? Researchers developed a seven-antibody PhenoImager panel and imaged samples from eight colorectal and pancreatic adenocarcinomas. The study demonstrated that the adenosine pathway can modulate multiple aspects of the tumor immune microenvironment and suggests that blockage of this pathway could become an important therapeutic target for colorectal adenocarcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. 👏 Great work to the researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and AstraZeneca! #FridayRead #SpatialBiology #AkoyaInAction #Multiplex #PDAC

A new study led by researchers at NYU Langone Health shows that an activity pattern in certain genes responsible for building proteins can predict which melanoma patients are likely to have severe side effects from checkpoint inhibitors, immunotherapy drugs designed to make cancer cells more “visible” to T cells. Predictive information of this kind can help guide oncologists and patients in their immunotherapy decisions, to either take additional precautions to minimize side effects or to choose alternative immunotherapies. 📖 Read the study: https://lnkd.in/efgCpiqb 🤝 To learn more about this innovative cancer diagnostic technology, contact business development manager Amit Duvshani, PhD or licensing associate Keaton Crosse, PhD. #Checkpointinhibitors #immunotherapy #oncology #melanoma #cancerdiagnostic #Tcells #skincancer https://lnkd.in/edQvkyTF

Else Marit Inderberg and Sébastien Wälchli from Oslo University Hospital explore what we need to know about T cells successfully fighting #CancerPrevention Cell-based immunotherapy uses the patient’s own immune cells to target and kill cancer cells in a specific manner. #Lymphocytes called T cells are mainly used for this type of therapy, and to target them more efficiently against cancer cells, they are genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) or T cell receptors (TCR) that bind #proteins or peptides presented on the surface of cancer cells. There are currently six CAR T cell therapies approved for the treatment of #blood cancers. However, none of these cellular therapies are yet available outside clinical studies for solid #cancers. Find out more here: #TCells #CancerTherapy https://bit.ly/3yQWClh

There are several ways lung adenocarcinoma, the most common lung cancer, can arise, one of which is a mutation in a protein called EGFR. Modern immunotherapies don’t work against EGFR-driven lung adenocarcinoma, and while some drugs treat the cancer, patients typically develop a resistance to them within just a few years, Salk Institute for Biological Studies describes. In a new publication, Salk Institute for Biological Studies researchers suggest that treatments using EGFR inhibitors may be more successful when paired with statins, a class of drugs commonly used to lower cholesterol levels. “We have discovered a novel way that lung cancer cells manipulate their local environment and other cell types surrounding them to promote their own growth. In this case, the tumor cells exploit lung-resident macrophages—remodeling them to provide nutrients, like cholesterol, to the cancer cells and stimulate tumor growth,” says CRI Scientific Advisory Council member, and senior and co-corresponding author, Dr. Susan Kaech. Learn more: https://bit.ly/49rA6MP #LungCancer #CancerResearch #Immunotherapy

𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐑 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐓𝐆𝐅β3 𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐛𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐛 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 The cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) are essential regulators of the cell cycle, and it is established that the activity of CDK4 and CDK6 are prerequisites for breast tumour formation. In recent years, the approval of three CDK inhibitors, palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib, have revolutionised the treatment landscape for HER+ breast cancers. However, little is known about their efficacy in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is among the most challenging cancers to treat. In addition, there is a scarity of reliable biomarkers for treatment response and resistance to this class of drugs. In an article published yesterday in Molecular Cancer, scientists at McGill University Health Centre in Canada report transforming growth factor beta-3 (TGFβ3) as an actionable determinant of palbociclib sensitivity that potentiates its anti-tumour effects. Read on at CRISPR Medicine News 👇🏻 https://lnkd.in/eNvuWmsQ #crisprmedicinenews #crisprmedicine #breastcancer #cancer #crispr #geneediting

Genetic signature may predict response to immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer according to a study by Weill Cornell Medical College, New York A new study identified a set of 140 genes that may help predict enhanced disease-free survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with a combination of immunotherapy and low-dose radiation 🥼 The results, published in Cell Reports Medicine, suggested that this "gene signature" could be used to identify a subclass of lung tumors that is more likely to be eradicated by immunotherapies🔍 Full article below ⬇ #immunotherapy https://lnkd.in/e2YzSZNe

Merck and Kelun-Biotech’s ADC SKB264 achieved a 22% objective response rate and 80.5% disease control rate in heavily pretreated patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer. SKB264 targets the TROP2 protein, which is a well-validated target in gastric cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. The ADC’s toxic payload is a belotecan-derivative topoisomerase I inhibitor that causes DNA damage and triggers cell death. Merck exercised its worldwide rights to SKB264--except in the Greater China region--in 2022. The candidate is also being developed for triple-negative breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. #biotech #biohparma #AACR24 #gastriccancer #ADC

miR-203a serves as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cell cycle and proliferation in breast cancer (BC) cells and enhancing apoptosis, by regulating PI3K/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways. The MIR203A gene (MicroRNA 203a) is encoded in the cytogenetic band 14q32.33 made up of 110 bases. It negatively regulates IL-8 production, osteoblast differentiation, and the canonical Wnt signaling pathway through post-transcriptional gene silencing and mRNA destabilization. This gene is expressed in the skin of the leg, in the mucosa of the lower esophagus, in the exocervix and in 37 other types of cells or tissues. It has been associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), skin diseases, and prostate cancer. However, elevated expression of microRNAs 155, 203, 210, and 222 in pancreatic tumors has been associated with worse survival. The accompanying article has found that miR-203a inhibits the malignant phenotypes of BC cells by 1. reducing the expression of PIK3CA and then inactivating Akt. 1.1. PI3K/Akt signaling is regulated by the ability of miR-203a to target PIK3CA. 2. modulate the Wnt pathway by targeting Wnt2b and through the Akt/GSK-3β axis. 2.1. miR-203a mainly participates in the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway. 2.2. MiR-203a inhibits the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway. 3. The Wnt pathway connects to the PI3K/Akt pathway through glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a serine/threonine protein kinase. 3.1. GSK-3β, an important downstream molecule of Akt, is a negative regulator of the Wnt/β-Catenin cascade, together with Axin and APC. https://lnkd.in/diaGTa8K