Project description
Novel immunotherapy against solid tumours
Immuno-oncology regimens that include CAR-T therapy are powerful tools in cancer treatment. The unresolved CAR-T therapy challenges are limited therapy persistence and tumour-induced immunosuppression. The EU-funded CAR-T-uning project will assess the technical and commercial feasibility of an improved chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) treatment with a novel mechanism of action. It is based on a recent discovery that inhibition of orphan nuclear receptor NR2F6 increases therapy persistence and reduces immunosuppression at the tumour site to improve immune response. The researchers will validate the novel CAR-T approach using in vivo mouse and ex vivo patient-derived tumour models, focusing on non-small cell lung cancer, and determine the commercial feasibility to establish the best path to market.
Objective
CAR-T(uning) will assess the technical and commercial feasibility of an improved and broadly applicable chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) approach based on a novel implemented mechanism of action. There is an urgent need for more effective treatment strategies against cancer, which remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Immuno-oncology regimens such as, immune checkpoint blockade therapy (ICT) and CAR-T therapy emerged as powerful tools in cancer treatment, however, in the majority of patients these fail to achieve long-lasting therapy response. Further, they remain costly and applicable to a limited range of cancer types. Specifically, CAR-T therapy faces two unresolved challenges: 1) limited therapy persistence; 2) tumor-induced immunosuppression. Consequently, no CAR-T therapy against solid tumor cancers has reached the market. Prof. Gottfried Baier has uncovered that inhibition of orphan nuclear receptor NR2F6, a downstream target of T cell antigen receptor signaling intermediate PKC, overcomes these shortcomings in a two-fold manner: 1) increased therapy persistence to improve its long-lasting effects; 2) reduced immunosuppression at the tumor site to improve immune response. Within this ERC PoC, first we will technically validate this approach using in vivo mouse and ex vivo patient-derived tumor models. We will focus on NSCLC as first indication, as it is one of the most-difficult to treat solid cancers with high mortality rate and disease burden. Subsequently, commercial feasibility will be determined by verifying IP position and strategy, performing in-depth market and competitor analyses, and finally consolidating these into a business plan to establish the best path to commercialization. Successful commercialization of CAR-T(uning) would reduce the socioeconomic burden of NSCLC, extending and improving patient lives, and enable the development of long-lasting, (cost-)effective CAR-T therapies applicable to a greater range of cancer types.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences sociology demography mortality
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2022-POC1
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
6020 Innsbruck
Austria
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.