Ovarian cancer is the first therapeutic development project for Abeome. This project is pursuing a discovery path similar to that used to develop Herceptin, a hugely successful mAb therapeutic for breast cancer and specifically targeted to those patients that are positive for the up- regulation of the marker Her2neu. As with Herceptin, the Company immunized mice with whole cancer cells (lines) to generate the antibodies. In the OC project, researchers used four distinct ovarian cancer cell line - representing two of the most common forms of OC as the immunogen.
The initial screen, used immunofluorescent microscopy (IFM) and ELISA, and identified those antibodies that were cancer-specific (reacted with cancer cell lines but otherwise did not react with normal, non-cancerous control cells). Priority was then given to those mAbs showing reactivity on two or more of the four OC cell lines and negative on the control cell line, and to those that are IgG isotypes. Antibodies passing this criteria were purified and tested for in vitro cell-killing capability to identify those that are reacting with relevant cell growth mechanisms.
Following these thorough screening steps, the mAbs were prioritized for analysis by tissue micro array (TMA) screening using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The TMA screening is a critical step which helps to identify those mAbs which are binding to ovarian cancer human patient samples and not binding or lightly binding to a sampling of normal human tissues. Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) in Philadelphia collaborated with Abeome to handle the TMA screening. FCCC is one of the world's leading gynecologic cancer research centers and is steeped in scientific talent studying ovarian cancer. FCCC performed IHC on 34 mAbs, of which several are demonstrating cancer-specificity.
The initial screen, used immunofluorescent microscopy (IFM) and ELISA, and identified those antibodies that were cancer-specific (reacted with cancer cell lines but otherwise did not react with normal, non-cancerous control cells). Priority was then given to those mAbs showing reactivity on two or more of the four OC cell lines and negative on the control cell line, and to those that are IgG isotypes. Antibodies passing this criteria were purified and tested for in vitro cell-killing capability to identify those that are reacting with relevant cell growth mechanisms.
Following these thorough screening steps, the mAbs were prioritized for analysis by tissue micro array (TMA) screening using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The TMA screening is a critical step which helps to identify those mAbs which are binding to ovarian cancer human patient samples and not binding or lightly binding to a sampling of normal human tissues. Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) in Philadelphia collaborated with Abeome to handle the TMA screening. FCCC is one of the world's leading gynecologic cancer research centers and is steeped in scientific talent studying ovarian cancer. FCCC performed IHC on 34 mAbs, of which several are demonstrating cancer-specificity.
KEY MILESTONES ON THE OC PROJECT
Abeome scientists have conducted a critical step to identify the cancer surface protein target on one of these OC mAbs. It is a target that has been implicated in OC and other cancer types. This particular antibody has been selected by the SAB to move into a tumor regression study in mice. This step is acknowledged by the industry as a key milestone in gauging the potential efficacy of mAb therapeutics and FCCC has agreed to collaborate with Abeome on this study. The study involves the transplant of human ovarian cancer cells into immunocompromised mice. Abeome's mAbs will be used to treat two groups using two different dosages while a 3rd group (controls) will be untreated.
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Abeome scientists have conducted a critical step to identify the cancer surface protein target on one of these OC mAbs. It is a target that has been implicated in OC and other cancer types. This particular antibody has been selected by the SAB to move into a tumor regression study in mice. This step is acknowledged by the industry as a key milestone in gauging the potential efficacy of mAb therapeutics and FCCC has agreed to collaborate with Abeome on this study. The study involves the transplant of human ovarian cancer cells into immunocompromised mice. Abeome's mAbs will be used to treat two groups using two different dosages while a 3rd group (controls) will be untreated.
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