Therapeutics targeting NKG2D ligands for elimination of cancer cells and senescent cells
A novel fusion protein targeting NKG2D ligands for eradicating cancer and senescent cells.
- Stage: Preclinical in vivo
- Type: Therapeutic
- Categories: Immuno Oncology
Technology Overview
Natural killer group 2 member D ligands (NKG2DLs) are consistently upregulated in cancer cells, senescent cells, and cells undergoing genotoxic stress. Moreover, NKG2D ligands are mostly unexpressed on healthy cells. Drs. Tom Schmitt and Roland Strong at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center have developed a novel fusion protein targeting NKG2D ligands for eradicating cancer and senescent cells. The fusion protein is a bispecific T cell engager (TCE) with anti-CD3 binding domain fused to an NKG2D receptor single-chain dimer (SCD). This enables the fusion protein to specifically bring T cells and pathological cells expressing NKG2D ligands together for elimination of the latter.
Applications
- Treatment for a wide range of diseases including cancer, aging-related diseases, and autoimmune diseases
- Pathologies linked to senescence include osteoporosis, arthritis, obesity, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer
Advantages
- Targeted, specific treatment to kill cancer cells and/or premalignant lesions exhibiting genotoxic stress.
- Off-the-shelf antibody treatment that does not have to be personalized on a patient-by-patient basis
- High expression of NKG2D ligands MICA/B across cancers and is not present on healthy cells
Patent Information
- Provisional application filed
Investigator Overview
- Thomas Schmitt, PhD – Research Associate
- Roland Strong, PhD – Professor, Basic Sciences Division & Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutch