Over the past two decades numerous targeted cancer treatment modalities have been developed. However, due to cellular heterogeneity and failure of immunosurveillance, resistance to treatments continuously emerges.To address this barrier we have developed novel targeted therapy to eradicate metastatic cancers by inducing both cancer cell apoptosis and activation of the immune system selectively against tumor cells, while sparing the non-cancerous cells.
We have designed a chemical vector that uses high affinity targeting moieties to introduce synthetic dsRNA, Poly Inosine Poly Cytosine (pIC), selectively to EGFR family overexpressing cancer cells. pIC activates several pro-apoptotic processes simultaneously and induces the secretion of cytokines. The secreted cytokines promote bystander killing effects and activate immune cells selectively against the tumor. The bystander effects lead to the destruction of neighboring tumor cells not targeted themselves by the vector while sparing the robust normal cells.
Our study focuses on targeting pIC to several EGFR and HER-2 overexpressing cancers, including gliomablastoma and breast cancers. This strategy is applicable to other tumors that overexpress surface protein and may synergize with other immune based therapies.
This study is likely to have major translational applications and is expected to open a new avenue in cancer treatment.
