Increasing the Efficacy of Cancer Immunotherapy

SLU ID 22-020 | Novel small-molecule inhibitors of HO-1

Background

Between 2012 and 2018, the FDA approved a series of monoclonal antibodies for use in immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatment for human cancer. These antibodies target and block the inhibitory pathways CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 on T cells, boosting their ability to kill cancer in human patients. While ICB has revolutionized the field of oncology, only about 20-40% of patients experience durable responses depending on the cancer type, while some do not respond at all. Combining ICB with conventional chemotherapies that weaken the tumor have been pursued for combination treatment modalities with some limited success. Unfortunately, because many of these chemotherapies target cell proliferation, they can also suppress cellular immunity as a side effect, thereby dampening the immune responses necessary to reject the tumor. Thus, new strategies are needed to target unique pathways in the tumor while sparing cell-mediated immunity for improved immunotherapy of cancer.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have identified a cytoprotective pathway operative in several cancer types that allows cancer cells to evade the immune system. To inhibit this pathway, the researchers identified two novel small molecule inhibitors that when combined with conventional immune checkpoint blockade, improved immunotherapy outcomes and prolonged survival in animal tumor models.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Increasing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy

• Increasing the percent of patients that experience durable responses

• Increasing the bioavailability of cancer immunotherapy compounds

• Increasing the solubility of cancer immunotherapy compounds

• Minimizing suppression of cellular immunity as an adverse affect

Applications

Potential applications of this technology include treating various types of cancers such as:

• breast cancer

• colorectal cancer

• head & neck cancer

• lung cancer

• melanoma

• multiple myeloma

• prostate cancer

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking a partner to further develop and commercialize this technology.