R&D
Prima BioMed scientists have applied innovative research to advance important new therapies for Cancer.
Prima has assembled a multidisciplinary group of chemists and biologists who together approach the challenge of drug discovery using multiple potential therapeutic modalities. This novel approach allows us to choose the best target for attacking cancer and to use the modality most likely to affect that target. The research program has grown spectacularly, yielding a heightened understanding of cancer, and innovative new approaches to improving patient quality of life.
Our R&D engine is powered by dedicated, creative scientists who are attracted to Prima BioMed by our intellectual vigor, our commitment to world-class research, and most importantly, by the many opportunities we offer to make a dramatic difference in the lives of patients.
Cancer Vaccine Program
CVac™ cell therapy is a new and groundbreaking cancer vaccine technology for the treatment of cancer. It stimulates the production of immune cells, produced naturally in the body, that attack cancer cells.
The CVac™ product consists of an adjuvant, mannan which is a string of modified mannose (a sugar) units.
In a process called apheresis, dendritic cells (DCs) are removed from the patient's blood. Their duty in the body is to absorb proteins that are foreign or dangerous to the body, and to present these proteins to T-Cells. T-Cells are the body’s immune surveillance system for unwanted bacteria, viruses and cells. Once the DC presents the protein to the T-Cell, it is activated to kill cells having the foreign protein. After a number of DCs are collected, they grow, both in number and maturity, by being cultured with growth factors. Once the target 600 million cells has been achieved, mucin-1-MFP is added. This special protein and sugar complex consists of a protein, Mucin-1, that can be found in great excess in cancer cells, and the mannan sugar. Together these chemicals form the mannan fusion protein (MFP) that is highly effective at stimulating T cells. The processed DCs are then injected back into the patient’s skin where they boost immunity against cancer.
CVac™ cell therapy therefore uses the strengths of the patient's own body to fight cancer. With certain other cancer therapies, immune suppression is a serious side effect. Unlike many chemotherapeutic agents, CVac™ has very few side effects. The CVac™ target, mucin-1 is present in great quantities in a range of cancers that may be treatable with CVac™.
Monoclonal Antibody Program
The Cripto-1 program is undertaking the pre-clinical development of a monoclonal antibody to treat various cancers. The antibody is targeted to Cripto-1, a protein that is over produced in a number of tumour types including breast, colon and lung. Preliminary data has demonstrated that anti-Cripto-1 antibodies prevent tumour development and inhibit the growth of established tumours in mice. In collaboration with external research partners, Prima Biomed is now developing anti-Cripto-1 antibodies that are suitable to treat cancer in humans.
Vaccine Program
One challenge associated with many vaccines today is the requirement for the vaccine to be injected. In collaboration with researchers at the University of New South Wales, and the University of Queensland, Prima Biomed is researching ways to make vaccines that are currently injected effective when administered orally. The initial approach being taken is to make nanoparticles, small protein beads that then are coated with vaccine, and a protective layer to prevent damage to the vaccine by stomach acid. The nanoparticles have a high surface area containing vaccine to present to small intestine. The first target for the nanoparticle vaccine is Human Papillloma Virus (HPV). The program is in early stage development.
R&D Publications
Xing PX, Hu XF, Pietersz GA, Hosick HL, McKenzie IF. Cripto: a novel target for antibody-based cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Res. 2004 Jun 1;64(11):4018-23.
09/04/2010
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