Project description
A novel immunotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia may be widely applicable
Interleukin 7 (IL-7) and its receptor (IL-7R) are essential for lymphoid development. Their absence leads to severe immunodeficiency. In contrast, excessive IL-7/IL-7R-mediated signalling can lead to the development of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and accelerate its progression and resistance to chemotherapy. Despite tremendous progress in ALL treatment, long-term remission statistics demonstrate an important need to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. IL7RsignaTHER is investigating IL-7/IL-7R-mediated signalling pathways in leukaemic cells as well as the expression of IL-7R on these cells. A better understanding of this signalling pathway could point the way to improved antibody-based biopharmaceuticals. In addition to improving ALL treatment efficacy and reducing detrimental side-effects, they may help treat many other IL-7-linked diseases and conditions.
Objective
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a highly aggressive hematological cancer, is the most frequent childhood malignancy and the second most common acute leukemia in adults. The use of risk-adjusted multi-agent intensive chemotherapy has led to a remarkable improvement in treatment outcome of pediatric cases, with more than 80% of children with ALL being alive and disease-free at 5 years. However, a significant number of relapses still occur, whose prognosis is dismal, and the intensive regimens used are often associated with long-term, severe complications. In adults, the scenario is considerably worse: only 30–40% of the cases achieve long-term remission. Therefore, there is an obvious unmet need, and a major challenge, to develop novel, more efficient therapeutic strategies that specifically target the leukemic cells, minimize the detrimental side effects associated with conventional therapies and improve overall treatment outcome. Based on exciting and robust preliminary data from our ERC Consolidator Grant IL7sigNETure (CoG-648455), we now propose to explore the dependence of ALL cells on IL-7/IL-7R-mediated signaling and the broad expression of IL-7R on the surface of ALL cells to develop and commercialize novel monoclonal antibody-based biopharmaceuticals that we will generate targeting the IL-7/IL-7R axis for treatment of this malignancy. Our innovative therapeutic strategies have significant market potential that extends beyond ALL. Other possible indications include other lymphoid malignancies (Hodgkin's lymphoma, peripheral T-cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia), solid cancers with ectopic expression of IL-7R (including melanoma, breast, lung, bladder and colorectal cancer, or glioblastoma), and autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases (diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease) in which the IL-7/IL-7R axis plays a pathological role.
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.
- medical and health sciences health sciences inflammatory diseases
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine gastroenterology inflammatory bowel disease
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology multiple sclerosis
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology colorectal cancer
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology leukemia
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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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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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.
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Pilot
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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-2019-PoC
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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.
1649 028 Lisboa
Portugal
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.