18 Sep 2007 05:00 PM
Immutep Announces That ImmuFact(R) IMP321 Induces Activation Of A Wide Range Of Human Effector Cytotoxic Cells
Immutep S.A., a biopharmaceutical company specialised in immunostimulatory and immunomodulatory treatments of cancer and infectious or autoimmune disease, announced the publication of a research paper showing that its lead product, IMP321, induces activation of a wide range of human effector cytotoxic cells.
ImmuFact(R) IMP321 is a potent natural human immunostimulatory factor designed to amplify the T cell immune response. It can be used either as an immunopotentiator in therapeutic vaccines or alone at higher doses as a monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. Six clinical trials have been initiated with ImmuFact IMP321 in the last 30 months.
Immutep's ImmuFact research team carried out the study described in the research paper at its laboratories near Paris. The principal anti-tumour immune response is mediated through the activation of type 1 cytotoxic (Tc1) CD8+ T cells, NK cells and monocytes/macrophages. The research team investigated the potency of IMP321 at inducing such a cytotoxic-type response in short term ex vivo assays on human blood cells.
The research team found that IMP321, a soluble recombinant form of the human LAG-3 protein, binds to all circulating dendritic cells and a fraction of MHC class II+ monocytes. Four hours after addition of IMP321 to blood cells these antigen-presenting cells (APC) produce cytokines important for initiating the immune response. At 18 hours, following this activation of the APC, a significant number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells are fully activated in their turn and produce Tc1 cytokines such as IFN-y or TNF-a. Similar induction was observed in metastatic cancer patients.
In contrast to IMP321, TLR agonists, another class of immunostimulatory factors, all induce the immunosuppressive IL-10 cytokine, and are therefore unable to achieve the Tc1 IFN-y+ response that is crucial to an effective anti-tumoral effect.
Thus, IMP321 has properties that confirm its uniqueness and potency as a new immunopotentiator in cancer patients.
"It is remarkable that 92 per cent of blood donors or patients respond at clinically-significant levels to a first short exposure of IMP321." said Chrystelle Brignone, ImmuFact Project Manager and first author of the paper.
"This timely and orderly activation of both innate and adaptive immunity by this…
ImmuFact(R) IMP321 is a potent natural human immunostimulatory factor designed to amplify the T cell immune response. It can be used either as an immunopotentiator in therapeutic vaccines or alone at higher doses as a monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. Six clinical trials have been initiated with ImmuFact IMP321 in the last 30 months.
Immutep's ImmuFact research team carried out the study described in the research paper at its laboratories near Paris. The principal anti-tumour immune response is mediated through the activation of type 1 cytotoxic (Tc1) CD8+ T cells, NK cells and monocytes/macrophages. The research team investigated the potency of IMP321 at inducing such a cytotoxic-type response in short term ex vivo assays on human blood cells.
The research team found that IMP321, a soluble recombinant form of the human LAG-3 protein, binds to all circulating dendritic cells and a fraction of MHC class II+ monocytes. Four hours after addition of IMP321 to blood cells these antigen-presenting cells (APC) produce cytokines important for initiating the immune response. At 18 hours, following this activation of the APC, a significant number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells are fully activated in their turn and produce Tc1 cytokines such as IFN-y or TNF-a. Similar induction was observed in metastatic cancer patients.
In contrast to IMP321, TLR agonists, another class of immunostimulatory factors, all induce the immunosuppressive IL-10 cytokine, and are therefore unable to achieve the Tc1 IFN-y+ response that is crucial to an effective anti-tumoral effect.
Thus, IMP321 has properties that confirm its uniqueness and potency as a new immunopotentiator in cancer patients.
"It is remarkable that 92 per cent of blood donors or patients respond at clinically-significant levels to a first short exposure of IMP321." said Chrystelle Brignone, ImmuFact Project Manager and first author of the paper.
"This timely and orderly activation of both innate and adaptive immunity by this…
