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Immune-Image: Specific Imaging of Immune Cell Dynamics Using Novel Tracer Strategies

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

Imaging technology for assessment of patient immune status

Immunotherapy can effectively treat a number of serious conditions such as cancer and inflammatory diseases but a personalised approach is key. Blood and tissue markers coupled with non-invasive imaging could aid in assessing immune status in vivo, but this option has barely been explored. To this end, the EU-funded project will develop new immunotracers for imaging specific immune cell subsets, and then validate them in relevant disease models. The goal is to transfer them to manufacturing and then conduct smart clinical trials. This international multi-disciplinary consortium will work on optimising molecular imaging techniques for assessing patient immune status via immunotracers and developing personalised immunotherapeutic drugs.

Objective

Immunotherapies have emerged as effective treatments for immune system-related diseases, such as cancer and inflammatory diseases. Although immunotherapeutics are effective not all patients benefit and side effects vary greatly. Thus, there is an unmet need for a personalized approach. Blood and tissue biomarkers have played only a modest role up until now in assessing immune status in vivo and we believe that non-invasive whole body imaging will make a significant contribution in the future. Although the field of imaging (PET, MRI, Optical Imaging) is flourishing, its application to patient immune status measurement and monitoring has barely been explored. Within Immune-Image we aim to develop new immunotracers for imaging specific immune cell subsets, develop quantitative imaging workflows, validate the immunotracers pre-clinically in relevant disease models, produce the tracers in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant way, and conduct smart clinical trials, including with novel tracers.
To this end, insights will be gained into the optimal use of drugs and a more efficient development of immunotherapeutics. Moreover, the success rate of immunotherapy development will be enhanced since our molecular imaging platform will provide novel insights into patient immune status, which will support drug development and treatment decisions.
To achieve our goals, we have assembled an experienced international multi-disciplinary consortium composed of chemists, biologists, immunologists, physicists, pharmacists, information technologists, and medical specialists with diverse and essential backgrounds who will join forces to design, synthesise, evaluate and validate immunotracers and create sustainable molecular imaging techniques that can be broadly applied in the assessment of the immune status and immune modulation of patients. There will be input from patients and regulators in order to assure optimal design and execution of immunotracer clinical trials.

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Call for proposal

H2020-JTI-IMI2-2018-14-two-stage

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Funding Scheme

RIA - Research and Innovation action

Coordinator

STICHTING VUMC
Net EU contribution
€ 4 079 222,00
Address
De boelelaan 1117
1081 HV Amsterdam
Netherlands

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Region
West-Nederland Noord-Holland Groot-Amsterdam
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Other funding
€ 1 397 000,50

Participants (24)

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EC signature date 26 September 2019
Last update: 30 June 2023

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/831514

European Union, 2023