Project description
A novel approach for the development of cancer vaccines
Immunotherapy is a promising approach for treating cancer, but so far, cancer vaccines have demonstrated limited success in clinical trials. Recently, the identification of aberrant tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) on the surface of cancer cells has spurred the development of novel cancer vaccines. The EU-funded ARGONAUT project aims to address the problems associated with the development of effective vaccine candidates through novel technologies. The focus will be on vaccines based on ganglioside-type TACAs that are easy to formulate and can elicit an immune response independent of individual genetic variations. The project will offer the possibility for a more tumour-selective immunotherapy approach.
Objective
Immunotherapy is currently revolutionizing cancer therapy by harnessing the power of the innate and adaptive immune system against cancer cells, thus providing a more tumour-selective approach in assistance to traditional treatments. The identification of tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs), aberrant types of glycans decorating the surface of tumour cells, has paved the way for the development of new types of cancer vaccines. However, while significant progress has been made in this area of research, TACA-based cancer vaccines have not yet reached the clinic. In this context, ARGONAUT will address some limitations that characterize classical approaches in carbohydrate cancer vaccine development, with the overall aim of establishing a strategy to access novel, more effective, and fully synthetic vaccine candidates. ARGONAUT’s journey aims at the preparation of vaccine candidates based on ganglioside-type TACAs (expressed in melanoma, neuroblastoma, and small cell lung cancer) that are easy to formulate, able to elicit a immune response independent from individual polymorphisms, and with better chances to reach the clinical environment. Employing a synthetic carbohydrate chemistry approach, ARGONAUT explores its application as a tool to contribute to H2020 European efforts in cancer research, while providing excellent training in a multidisciplinary and intersectoral environment through a well-implemented work-plan. From another perspective, ARGONAUT’s impact will also benefit from the transfer of knowledge to the host institution with the establishment of a new research line in active cancer immunotherapy.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologylung cancer
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyskin cancermelanoma
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculescarbohydrates
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyimmunotherapy
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinator
2800 Kongens Lyngby
Denmark