Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, causing 1 in 4 deaths and claiming more than 500,000 lives every year. Existing cancer vaccines target specific antigens on tumor cells, thus failing to halt progression of tumor cells lacking the targeted antigen. This novel vaccine, an immunogenic tumor-associated stromal cell antigen (TASA) peptide, targets antigens on the stromal cells around the tumor cells, destroying their support system and halting their progression.
Description
TASA peptides are a combination of multiple polypeptides comprising a Protein Delta Homolog 1 (DLK1), a Neuropilin 1 (NRP1), and a Tumor Endothelial Marker 1 (TEM1) polypeptide which produce T-lymphocytes that recognize tumor-associated stromal cell antigens. In the host, the T-lymphocytes elicit immune response to tumors expressing DLK1, NRP1 and TEM1, decreasing tumor vascularization and growth, thereby inhibiting disease progression. TASA peptides have been tested in vivo in mice inoculated with melanoma cells, and renal cancer cells, as well as in vitro using T-cells from melanoma patients.
Applications
· Elicit an immune response to solid (vascularized) tumors of any lineage
· Decreasing vascularization of tumors
· Decreasing growth of tumors
· Inhibiting disease progression in cancer bearing patients
Advantages
· Targets multiple tumor-associated stomal antigens unlike exiting vaccines which target specific tumor antigens
· Effective for multiple types of tumors expressing DLK1, NRP1, and TEM1
Invention Readiness
In vivo data
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/US9345770B2; https://patents.google.com/patent/US9937250B2
