Swiss Researchers Improve Immunotherapy Against Cancer
Published: Thursday, Jan 4th 2024, 16:50
Updated At: Thursday, Jan 4th 2024, 16:50
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Swiss researchers have developed an improved version of immunotherapy against cancer. This has shown promising results in laboratory tests, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) announced on Thursday.
The study published in the journal "Nature Biotechnology" shows that malignant tumors could be destroyed in mice.
Specifically, the researchers have improved the so-called CAR-T cell therapy. For this immunotherapy, the body's own white blood cells are genetically modified in the laboratory so that they can recognize and specifically destroy cancer cells. It has been approved in Switzerland since October 2018. To date, it has been used for various forms of blood cancer such as leukemia or lymphoma.
Self-healing cells
However, the genetically modified cells have difficulties with solid tumors, such as breast cancer or lung cancer, according to the study. They exhaust themselves too quickly and ultimately fail to completely destroy the tumors.
To prevent this, the EPFL researchers have enhanced the genetic engineering of the cells: they have induced the cells to produce interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory protein. The T cells thus produce their own medicine, so to speak.
Protection against relapse
The immunotherapy cells pimped in this way completely destroyed tumors of various types of cancer in mice as part of the study. Even after tumor cells were reintroduced into cured mice, they were unable to establish themselves or develop any malignant characteristics, as the researchers demonstrated in their study.
According to the authors, this demonstrates the long-term efficacy of the treatment: the immune system remains reactive and can effectively neutralize any threat of cancer recurrence. "The results in my lab are extremely exciting. We are convinced that this technology has the potential to save lives," study leader Li Tang was quoted as saying in the press release.
According to the EPFL, clinical trials with the improved immunotherapy are currently underway. The cancer has completely disappeared in the eleven patients treated as part of this clinical trial.
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