Background

Progression in cancer immunotherapy has been rapid with a number of products currently available and many others in late stage clinical development. However, clinical response to immunotherapies is variable and dependent on cancer types as well as specific characteristics or genetic mutations within a patient’s individual tumor. There is a need for tumor-specific therapies with applicability to a range of cancer types.

Technology Overview

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a technology that uses Tumor Associated Mitochondria Antigens (TA MAs) extracted from the tumor as a cancer vaccine. The technology involves pulsing dendritic cells with TA MAs. In an in vivo model of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) the vaccine elicits a cytotoxic T-cell response and provides long-term