This technology is a microbial-based therapeutic platform that uses engineered bacteria to deliver localized chemotherapy and immunotherapy directly to tumors for improved cancer treatment.
Current cancer treatments often rely on systemic chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which can lead to significant toxicity and limited efficacy due to poor tumor specificity. While enzyme/prodrug therapy and immunotherapy have shown promise, their success depends on efficient and localized delivery within the tumor microenvironment. Existing approaches struggle to simultaneously deliver cytotoxic and immune-modulating agents in a controlled and tumor-specific manner. Addressing this limitation is critical to improving treatment outcomes while minimizing patient side effects.
This technology uses engineered bacteria (E. coli Nissle 1917) as a tumor-targeting microbial platform to deliver both chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents directly within tumors. The system combines enzyme and prodrug therapy with immune activation by enabling bacteria to convert an administered prodrug into an active chemotherapy agent at the tumor site. In addition, the engineered bacteria express multiple therapeutic payloads, including a cytosine deaminase enzyme, an interleukin-15 superagonist to stimulate immune cell activity, and a PD-L1 blocking nanobody to counteract tumor-induced immunosuppression. A genetic modification prevents detoxification of the active drug, enhancing therapeutic efficacy.
This platform has demonstrated potent antitumor effects in vivo without systemic toxicity, supporting its potential as a safe and scalable strategy for precision cancer therapy.
[Patent Pending(WO/2024/16073)
IR CU26042
Licensing Contact: Cynthia Lang
