Project description
Targeting the 'sweet tooth' of cancer
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells constitute a novel immunotherapy approach against cancer. Current clinical CAR-T cells target mostly hematological tumours. However, the treatment of solid tumours has been met with limited success mainly due to the heterogeneity and poor antigenicity of the selected antigens. To overcome this problem, the EU-funded SweetCAR project proposes to develop CAR-T cells that target carbohydrate neoantigens containing sialic acid encountered in many carcinomas. Considering that cancer cells present a different glycosylation pattern from normal cells, the SweetCAR approach is expected to exhibit high specificity and safety.
Objective
Major limitations in current immunotherapy success are low antigenicity of targeting antigen and tumor heterogeneity. Hence there is an unmet need for novel antigen targets that could potentially be expressed on many tumor types. Cancer express aberrant cell surface glycosylation patterns compared to normal cells. These tumor-associated carbohydrate-neoantigens can be targeted for tumor cell killing by antibodies and cytotoxic immune cells. Sialic acids cover cell surface glycans and frequently have altered expression on many types of carcinoma cells and correlate with cancer progression and/or metastasis. We aim to focus on targeting sialic acid containing carbohydrate-neoantigens using the chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy approach. Current clinical CAR-T cells target mostly soluble tumors using CD19, BCMA and other non-cancer specific antigens that often suffer toxicity and side effects. Our universal anti-carbohydrate CAR-T approach could target many types of carcinomas with high specificity and safety, and could potentially reach patients rapidly.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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)
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.
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant
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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-2020-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.
69978 Tel Aviv
Israel
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.