New Antibodies Offer “Super-charged” Treatment of Childhood Cancers
Significant increases in survival for neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, have been achieved through the use of new antibody treatments, according to a British study based out of Southampton University.
The monoclonal antibodies, dubbed anti-41BB and anti-CD40, “super-charged” the immune systems to spur the eradication of cancerous neuroblastoma tumors in 40 to 60 percent of all laboratory tests.
When one of the antibodies was combined with a unique peptide (protein fragment), the results were similarly promising for more aggressive tumors.
The two antibodies are designed to bind with molecules in the immune system. Once attached, the antibody stimulates the production processes, causing the immune system to spring into action.
The study, while promising, is still in the very early stages of research. As Juliet Gray, leader of the Southampton study, states: “Although this work is still at a pre-clinical stage, we hope it has enabled us to identify a way that we can provide effective immunotherapy treatment against neuroblastoma.”
Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that attacks the nervous system. Though rare, it is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in infants. Present chemotherapy treatment methods return a 60 percent success rate among patients diagnosed with the illness. It is hope that these new immunotherapy solutions may one day become a viable new treatment option.
Immunotherapy – the process bolstering the body’s immune system to better fight illness – has already proven successful in the treatment of adult cancers. Similar monoclonal antibodies are presently FDA-approved for medical treatment. Some of these include rituximab (Rituxan or MabThera) and alemtuzumab (Campath).
Next for the Southampton team is to research the safety and effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies in children. Studies will also be conducted to determine of immunotherapy can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy treatments.
Resources:
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCri…
http://www.pharmacyeurope.net/default.as…
