Combination of Immune Checkpoint Therapy with Gene Therapy

Background

Immune checkpoint therapy, predominantly employing checkpoint inhibitor medications, has garnered considerable prominence in recent years. These treatments operate by unleashing the constraints on the immune system, enabling it to identify and combat cancerous cells. Gene therapy entails the introduction or alteration of genetic material within a patient's cells for disease prevention or treatment. Within the cancer context, gene therapy has the potential to augment the body's capacity to combat with malignancies.

Combination therapy is a promising approach in the field of cancer treatment, particularly when it comes to enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Immune checkpoint therapy and gene therapy are two innovative strategies that, when combined, can potentially revolutionize the way we treat various types of cancer. Creative Biolabs offers services in the integration of immune checkpoint therapy and gene therapy, catering to our valued clientele in their pursuit of pharmaceutical innovation and preclinical evaluations.

Fig. 1 Conventional biomaterial-driven strategies to enhance immune checkpoint blockade therapy.¹

Advantages of immune checkpoint therapy with gene therapy

Enhancing immune response:

Gene therapy can be used to modify a patient's immune cells, such as T cells, to express specific receptors that target cancer antigens. By combining this with immune checkpoint therapy, we can amplify the immune response against cancer. Checkpoint inhibitors can be used to prevent cancer cells from evading the immune system's detection while the genetically modified cells directly attack the tumor.

Personalized treatment:

Gene therapy can be tailored to the individual patient, allowing for a more personalized approach to cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors can then be administered alongside gene therapy to address remaining immune suppression mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment.

Overcoming resistance:

Some cancers develop resistance to immune checkpoint therapy over time. By using gene therapy to bolster the immune response, it may be possible to overcome this resistance and improve treatment outcomes.

Reducing side effects:

Combining these therapies may enable the use of lower doses of checkpoint inhibitors, potentially reducing side effects associated with immunotherapy.

Targeting multiple pathways:

Cancer is often a complex disease with multiple mechanisms of immune evasion. The combination of gene therapy and immune checkpoint therapy can target multiple pathways simultaneously, increasing the chances of a successful anti-cancer response.

Case Study

In vivo anti-tumor effects and immune response elicited by gene therapy-mediated immune checkpoint blockade. (Fang, et al., 2021)

Fig. 2 In vivo anti-tumor effects and immune response elicited by gene therapy-mediated immune checkpoint blockade.²
Recent research elucidates an effective approach that harnesses epigenetic modulation in conjunction with gene therapy-directed immune checkpoint inhibition, concurrently elevating tumor antigen expression, bolstering antigen presentation by antigen-presenting cells, and mitigating T-cell exhaustion.

A combined therapeutic approach involving gene modulation for anti-angiogenesis and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition to enhance anti-tumor immunotherapy. (Zhan, et al., 2023)

Fig. 3 A combined therapeutic approach involving gene modulation for anti-angiogenesis and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition to enhance anti-tumor immunotherapy.³
In this current investigation, authors have formulated a synergistic approach through the integration of in situ tumor vaccination, gene-mediated suppression of tumor angiogenesis, and anti-PD-L1 therapy.

In summary, the combination of immune checkpoint therapy with gene therapy holds great promise in the fight against cancer. Creative Biolabs provides these approaches capitalizing on the strengths of each therapy to enhance the immune system's ability to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, potentially leading to more effective and personalized treatments for patients with various types of cancer.

Services at Creative Biolabs

Creative Biolabs provides a comprehensive range of tailored services pertaining to immune checkpoints, encompassing, yet not confined to: Immune Checkpoint Antibody Development, Immune Checkpoint Assays, Immune Checkpoint Targeted Peptide Development, etc. Please contact us for a thorough understanding.

References

Fan, Qin, et al. "Toward biomaterials for enhancing immune checkpoint blockade therapy." Advanced Functional Materials 28.37 (2018): 1802540.
Fang, Huapan, et al. "Combination of epigenetic regulation with gene therapy-mediated immune checkpoint blockade induces anti-tumour effects and immune response in vivo." Nature communications 12.1 (2021): 6742.
Zhan, Jing, et al. "Combination of immune checkpoint blockade and targeted gene regulation of angiogenesis for facilitating antitumor immunotherapy." Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 11 (2023): 1065773.

All listed customized services & products are for research use only, not intended for pharmaceutical, diagnostic, therapeutic, or any in vivo human use.