Anti-Cancer Light-Controllable Antibody-Peptide Conjugates

ongoing

Project ALISE (Antibody Light-Induced Selectivity Enhancement) will integrate the expertise, resources and knowledge of participating Institutions focusing on design, synthesis and preclinical study of conjugates of monoclonal antibodies with peptides whose anti-cancer activity can be enhanced in tumours by irradiation with light (LC-APCs). The possibility to boost the anti-cancer activity only in tumours, multiplied by targeting cancer cells by antibodies will be a basis for innovative and safer therapeutic strategies. Four of seven participating Institutions successfully collaborated in the field of light-controllable anticancer peptides, but this Project will widen the scope of collaboration, both in terms of the research field and collaborating Institutions. The participating Institutions are complementary in their expertise and know-how: the University of Cambridge will contribute with its know-how in design and preparation of antibodies. Light controllable peptides will be designed at Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, synthesized, then loaded onto the antibodies in Cambridge. Company Enamine will perform initial screening of the conjugates in vitro and assess their safety. National Cancer Institute of Ukraine will contribute with its expertise in immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam – with its expertise and knowledge in preclinical and clinical oncology. Lumobiotics GmbH will complement the consortium with its expertise in drug development. Integration of this potential will be achieved through research staff exchange and other activities organized in five work packages: 1) design and synthesis of novel light-controllable peptides as anti-cancer antibody payloads; 2) preparation and characterization of peptide conjugates with a model antibody; 3) biological screening of model LC-APCs; 4) preclinical evaluation of the LC-APCs aiming at treatment of human PDAC; 5) management, training, communication, dissemination.