Master regulators of regulatory T cell tumor infiltration

Unmet Need: Effective and specific cancer immunotherapy

Current immunopharmacological cancer treatments target receptors and cytokines that affect both peripheral and tumor infiltrating immune cells. This leads to many unintended side effects that often require patients to terminate treatment. Unfortunately, treatments that only target immune cells in the tumor environment are not available.

The Technology: Genetic targets that specifically alter regulatory T cell tumor infiltration

This technology describes a set of 17 master regulatory genes that control infiltration of tumor regulatory T cells. These genes are specifically enriched in tumor infiltrating regulatory T cells and do not affect survival of peripheral or non-regulatory T cell populations. Targeting these master regulators functionally modulates regulatory T cell infiltration and may have combinatorial or synergistic effects for enhancing anti-tumor immunity.

This technology has been validated using a CRISPR knockout screen in mice.

Applications:

Immunotherapy for cancer treatment
Research model for studying regulatory T cell tumor infiltration
Treatment for autoimmune diseases
Preventing organ transplant rejection
Treating chronic inflammation
Characterizing regulatory T cell function in diverse inflammatory conditions

Advantages:

Specific to tumor infiltrating regulatory T cells
Applicable to many tumor types
Compatible with other immunotherapies
May have synergistic functions that can be co-targeted

Lead Inventor:

Andrea Califano, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Related Publications:

Obradovic A, Ager C, Turunen M, Nirschl T, Khosravi-Maharlooei M, Jackson C, Yegnasubramanian V, DeMarzo A, Kochel C, Allaf M, Bivalacque T, Lim M, Karan C, Drake CG, Califano A. “Systematic elucidation and pharmacological targeting of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cell master regulators” BioRxiv

Tech Ventures Reference:

IR CU21189
Licensing Contact: Joan Martinez