Immunotherapy marks a revolutionary change in the approach to cancer treatment by utilizing the patient's immune system to attack and eradicate cancer cells. Here at Protheragen, we have sophisticated knowledge of tumor immunobiology, which allows us to offer tailor-made cancer immunotherapy development services that address the multifaceted and rigorous demands of the pharmaceutical industry and the research world.
Overview of Cancer Immunotherapy
The body's immune system is trained to recognize, attack, and destroy malignant cells, and this entire process is referred to as cancer immunotherapy. Unlike chemotherapy and radiation, which are cytotoxic and harm both cancerous and healthy cells, immunotherapy promotes a selective approach to treating cancer and offers lasting results, with a complete cure in some cases.
An area of study called immuno-oncology serves as the backbone of immunotherapy. One of the most crucial therapeutic breakthroughs is the capacity to change so-called "cold" tumors into "hot" ones—immunogenic ones that respond to treatment. Tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), tumor-specific antigens (TSAs), and neoantigens from somatic mutations now serve as important focal points for therapy. Techniques that utilize checkpoints in the immune system, cellular immunity, and more intricate cross-priming responses are all incorporated into immuno-oncology.
Fig.1 Variable interactions among immune checkpoints in the tumor microenvironment (TME). (Wang Y.,
et al., 2021)
Immunotherapy Development in Cancer
Cancer immunotherapy is now FDA-approved for over 20 cancer types. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (e.g., nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab) exhibit durable responses and survival advantages across solid tumors. CAR-T therapies, including Kymriah and Yescarta, demonstrate >80% response rates in refractory hematologic malignancies.
Bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), immune-modulating cytokines, and personalized mRNA vaccines are entering Phase II/III trials. However, challenges persist:
- Immune-Related Adverse Events (irAEs)
- Tumor Heterogeneity and Antigen Escape
- T Cell Exhaustion and Dysfunction
- Limited Response in Cold Tumors
Table 1. Summary of major listed immune checkpoint inhibitors. (Tan S., et al., 2020)
| Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors |
The English generic name for inhibitors |
Inhibitor trade name |
Immune checkpoint expression site |
The type of tumor being treated |
Adverse reactions |
| PD-1 ICIs |
Cemiplimab |
Libtayo |
T cell, B cell, NK cell, Monocytes, Dendritic cell, Tumor cell |
Breast cancer, malignant melanoma, etc. |
|
| Nivolumab |
Opdivo |
Breast cancer, malignant melanoma, etc. |
Diarrhea, itching, fatigue, etc. |
| Pembrolizumab |
Keytruda |
Non-small cell lung cancer, malignant melanoma, etc. |
|
| Sintilimab |
Sintilimab Injection |
Hodgkin's lymphoma, Lymphoma, Bladder cancer, non-small cell lung cancer |
|
| Toripalimab |
Toripalimab Injection |
Breast cancer, lymphatic cancer, melanoma, etc. |
|
| Pidilizumab |
CT-011 |
|
|
| PD-L1 ICIs |
Pidilizumab |
CT-011 |
Dendritic cell, macrophages, and Tumor cell |
Empty Cell |
|
| Durvalumab |
Imfinzi |
Advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma |
|
| Atezolizumab |
Tecentriq |
Bladder cancer, non-small cell lung cancer |
Fatigue, loss of appetite, cough, nausea, musculoskeletal pain, and constipation, etc. |
| Avelumab |
Bavencio |
Merkel Cell Carcinoma |
|
| CTLA-4 ICIs |
Ipilimumab |
Yervoy |
Activated T cell, NK cell |
Metastatic melanoma |
Dermatitis, enterocolitis, hepatitis, colitis, thyroiditis, etc. |
| Avelumab |
Bavencio |
Merkel Cell Carcinoma |
|
ICIs, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; NK cell, natural killer cells.
Disclaimer: Protheragen focuses on providing preclinical research services. This table is for information exchange purposes only. This table is not a treatment plan recommendation. For guidance on treatment options, please visit a regular hospital.
Our Services
Protheragen offers a wide range of cancer immunotherapy development services, designed to support the entire drug development pipeline. We provide comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of immunotherapeutic candidates. Our state-of-the-art laboratories are equipped with advanced technologies, enabling us to conduct sophisticated assays, such as immune cell profiling and tumor microenvironment analysis.
Customized Cancer Immunotherapy Development
- Immuno-oncology Biomarker Discovery
- Target Identification and Validation
- In Vitro Studies
- In Vivo Studies
Cancer Animal Models for Immunotherapy Development
| Tumor Type |
Implantation Site |
Cell Source |
Cell Lines |
| Syngeneic Models |
| Lung Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic |
Murine |
LLC, LLC-luc, KLN205 |
| Breast Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic |
Murine |
4T1, 4T1-luc, EMT6, JC, EO771 (ATCC), C1271 |
| Colorectal Cancer |
Subcutaneous |
Murine |
CT26.WT, CT26.WT-luc, MC-38, Colon26, CMT-93 |
| Melanoma |
Subcutaneous / Tail Vein Injection |
Murine |
B16-F10, Clone-M3 |
| Pancreatic Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic |
Murine |
PAN02 |
| Renal Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic |
Murine |
Renca |
| Cell Line-derived Xenograft (CDX) Models |
| Lung Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic / Tail Vein Injection |
Human |
DMS114, NCI-H69, NCI-H146, NCI-H209, NCI-H446, NCI-H526, NCI-H1688, 95-D, A549, Calu-1, Calu-3, Calu-6, HCC827, NCI-H226, NCI-H292, NCI-H358, NCI-H441, NCI-H460, NCI-H520, NCI-H522, NCI-1299, NCI-H1437, NCI-H1650, NCI-H1975, NCI-H1993, NCI-H2009, NCI-H2122, NCI-H2126, NCI-H2228, PC-10, QG-56 |
| Breast Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic / Tail Vein Injection |
Human |
SUM159, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, Bcap-37, 2LMP, ZR-75-1, ZR-75-30 |
| Colorectal Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Tail Vein Injection |
Human |
COLO 201, COLO 205, COLO 320 DM, CW-2, DLD-1, HCT-8, HCT-15, HCT-116, HCT116 P53 KO (-/-), HT-29, LoVo, LS1034, LS174T, LS411N, NCI-H716, RKO, SW48, SW620 |
| Melanoma |
Subcutaneous / Tail Vein Injection |
Human |
A375, B16, A2058, C32, HMCB, SK-MEL-30, MDA-MB-435s |
| Pancreatic Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic |
Human |
AsPC-1, BxPC-3, Capan-1, Capan-2, CFPAC-1, HPAF-II, MIAPaCa-2, PANC-1 |
| Ovarian Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic / Tail Vein Injection |
Human |
ES-2, HO-8910PM, PA-1, SK-OV-3, OVCAR-3 |
| Renal Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic / Tail Vein Injection |
Human |
ACHN, OS-RC-2, 786-O |
| Liver Cancer |
Subcutaneous / Orthotopic / Tail Vein Injection |
Human |
Bel-7402, Hep-3B, Huh-7, PLC/PRF/5, QGY-7703, SK-HEP-1, SMMC-7721, HepG-2 |
At Protheragen, we understand that each cancer immunotherapy project is unique, requiring a customized approach. Our services are designed to be flexible and adaptable, catering to the specific needs of our clients. Whether it is the development of a novel immune checkpoint inhibitor or the optimization of a CAR-T cell therapy, our team of experts works closely with clients to design and execute a tailored development plan. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to
contact us.
References
- Wang, Yun, et al. "Advancing to the era of cancer immunotherapy." Cancer communications 41.9 (2021): 803-829.
- Yap, Timothy A., et al. "Development of immunotherapy combination strategies in cancer." Cancer discovery 11.6 (2021): 1368-1397.
- Tan, Shuzhen, Dongpei Li, and Xiao Zhu. "Cancer immunotherapy: Pros, cons and beyond." Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 124 (2020): 109821.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
