KVAL: CAR T cell therapy for metastatic cancer

Although great progress has been made in the treatment of breast cancer in the last decades, but a significant group of patients is still left with few or no treatment options after relapse or in metastatic breast cancer. Scientists at OUS are currently working on a potential new treatment for some of these patients. Immuno-oncology, the boosting of the body's immune system to fight cancer, has in recent years emerged as a new pillar in cancer treatment. One of the most successful approaches involves genetically modifying the patient's own T cells to express artificial immune receptors which can target cancer cells. One such genetic modification is the Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs). CAR T cell therapy is at present the most advanced T cell therapy, approved for the treatment of certain types of blood cancers. Although CAR T cell therapies have demonstrated success in the treatment of various blood-related cancers, they have so far shown limited efficacy against solid tumors. This is partly due to the complex and impermeable biology of solid tumors. Also, in order to attack cancer cells with CARTs without killing healthy cells, you need to target cell surface proteins that are unique to the cancer cells. Such targets are rare. However, in the current research, scientists have managed to find a protein that is only expressed in certain types of breast cancers, which is absent in healthy cells. Scientists have developed CARTs against this target and have demonstrated effective killing of cancer cells in the laboratory. The primary goal of this project was to acquire sufficient knowledge about the technological feasibility and the commercial potential of this new CARTs before undertaking a full-scale commercialization project. During this project period, the team has demonstrated in vivo efficacy of the CARTs in mice, acquired deeper insight into the market and competition, secured intellectual property, and have established interest from several relevant industrial partners, including opportunities for out-licensing of the IP and a startup case, due to potential in different modalities.

Metastatic HER2 cancer is generally incurable. Some patients have long-term survival, but most p95HER2 positive patients develop rapid disease progression. There is a strong medical need for therapies directly targeting the p95HER2+ escape variants. The p95HER2 CAR represent a unique possibility to develop an effective therapy for a group of patients with poor prognosis from existing treatment options and with a high unmet need. The scientists behind the invention are collaborating with top level international scientific groups have generated synergies with other Norwegian research groups and biotechnology companies and built further on the strong competence in the immune-oncology field. During the project period period the team has experienced great interest from investors and industry, and have established several opportunities for the asset, including a potential out-licensing of the IP and a startup case, due to potential in different modalities.