Researchers at Purdue University are working on a new immunotherapy treatment for glioblastoma brain tumors, which are typically fatal with an average survival time of 14 months. Traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy have shown limited effectiveness against glioblastoma.
When it comes to glioblastoma, traditional therapies such as surgery and radiotherapy are often not effective, according to Sandro Matosevic, an associate professor in the Purdue College of Pharmacy.
Matosevic, who is also part of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research and the Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, is leading a team of researchers in developing a new form of immunotherapy to target glioblastoma. Their research has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications.
The Purdue glioblastoma treatment
Matosevic’s team is working on a novel immunotherapy approach to combat glioblastoma, as traditional cell therapies have shown limited effectiveness.Immunotherapies have mostly involved using a patient’s own cells, known as autologous cells, which are modified to better target and attach to cancer cells before being reintroduced into the patient’s body. However, this approach has had limited success in treating glioblastoma.
On the other hand, researchers are now working on developing immunotherapies using genetically engineered allogeneic immune cells, which are sourced from a different individual. This new approach aims to create fully off-the-shelf immune cells that can be used to effectively target cancer cells. In their study, the researchers engineered these cells from a different source, with promising results.Induced pluripotent stem cells have been used to create immune cells, such as natural killer cells, without the need for blood. This process involves differentiating the stem cells and then genetically engineering them. According to Matosevic, this new immunotherapy from Purdue can be considered as a true off-the-shelf source. The process envisions having unlimited supplies of these stem cells that are ready to be engineered, without the need for sourcing blood. Since these cells are of human origin, they can be directly used in human patients. The research team is now focusing on validation and planning the next development steps.The treatment was tested in animal studies using mice with human brain tumors. The engineered immune cells were directly injected into the mice. Matosevic stated, “Our studies on animals showed that these immune cells are exceptional at targeting and completely removing tumor growth. We discovered that we can modify these cells at levels appropriate for use in humans. This is important because one of the main obstacles to translating cell-based therapies to humans has been the limited expansion and effectiveness of cells obtained directly from patients. By using an alternative approach, we can potentially overcome this hurdle.”The e-shelf was used to break down significant barriers to manufacturing cells in a fully synthetic approach. Matosevic stated that the next step in developing glioblastoma treatment is to conduct clinical trials for brain tumor patients, including those not successfully eliminated by surgery. Their ultimate goal is to bring this therapy to patients with brain tumors who urgently need better and more effective treatment options. They believe there is true potential for this therapy and have the motivation and capacity to bring it to the clinic. They are working with neurosurgeons to make this a reality.The clinician collaborators are essential for obtaining funding and initiating clinical protocols, according to Matosevic. He also mentioned that they are open to new collaborations and partnerships with those interested in supporting their mission to bring this therapy to the clinic. Matosevic shared the innovative glioblastoma treatment with the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, which has applied for a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect the intellectual property. The research team has received funding from the National Institutes of Health and the V F.foundation for cancer research, the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, and industry partners.
