Date: 2015-11-30
Type of information: Publication of results in a medical journal
phase:
Announcement: publication of results in the Journal of Immunology
Company: Faron Pharmaceuticals (Finland)
Product: Clevegen®
Action
mechanism: monoclonal antibody. Clevegen® is an antibody designed to prevent tumour growth and metastasis which targets the tumour immune suppressor molecule, Clever-1. Clever-1 is an adhesion, scavenging and signaling molecule involved in cancer growth and is found in lymphatic and vascular endothelium as well as type 2 immunosuppressive macrophages. When Clever-1 is blocked, tumour-associated macrophages (TAM) cannot enter the tumour site and their function in the tumour as an immune suppressive cell is diminished. Both these events change the tumour environment from immune suppression to immune stimulation, allowing the host immune system to fight the tumour cells.
Disease:
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Country:
Trial details:
Latest
news: * On November 30, 2015, Faron Pharmaceuticals announced a key publication on Clever-1 function related to its novel cancer immunotherapy antibody Clevegen®, in the Journal of Immunology. The paper outlines the functional role of Clever-1 (also known as Stabilin-1) in immune responses. According to this Palani et al. study (2016), the study data defines Clever-1 as a new immunosuppressive molecule and suggests that Clever-1 may dampen pro -inflammatory reactions in vivo, especially when expressed on the surface of monocytes/macrophages. The study also showed anti-Clever 1 treatment (using preclinical versions of Clevegen) led to an increase in pro-inflammatory molecules, including tumor necrosis factor-a (a cytokine with well known anti-cancer properties). Palani´s functional experiments with monocytes/macrophages expressing either low or high amounts of Clever-1 resulted in a clear difference in antigen-mediated immunity (Th1). The experiments with Clever-1 blocking antibodies (preclinical versions of Clevegen) revealed a very significant increase in Th1-mediated immune response under their influence. High numbers of Clever-1-positive monocytes/macrophages were also found in the blood and placenta during normal pregnancy. This suggests that the Clever-1 positive monocytes/macrophages can contribute to the immune tolerance between an embryo and maternal tissues, which is needed to prevent rejection of the foetus. (Palani S, Elima K, Ekholm E, Jalkanen S and Salmi M (2016) Monocyte Stabilin-1 Suppresses the Activation of Th1 lymphocytes. J. Immunol)
