Activation of adaptive immunity and augmentation of anti-tumor efficacy

Immunotherapy has emerged as a powerful new weapon in the fight against cancer.

Tumor targeting EDV nanocells function as a cancer immunotherapy, where a dual assault on the tumor occurs via delivery of a cytotoxin combined with engagement of multiple arms of the immune system. This approach circumvents some of the current pitfalls with immunotherapies by creating an immunogenic tumor microenvironment while also generating immune cell subsets with antitumor function, thereby potentially avoiding primary and/or adaptive resistances that have arisen in patients in late stage disease across multiple cancer indications.

In syngeneic mouse studies published in the prestigious journal, Cancer Cell (Cyto-Immuno-Therapy for Cancer: A Pathway Elicited by Tumor-Targeted, Cytotoxic DrugPackaged Bacterially Derived Nanocells), we show how targeted EDV™ nanocells combine cytotoxicity by virtue of their chemotherapy payload, and simulataneously incite a totally novel and more complete anti-tumor immune response by activating macrophages, natural killer cells and dendritic cells. A subsequent adaptive immune response results from recruitment of specific CD8+ tumor killing T-cells into the tumor microenvironment.