Tag

Immunotherapy

All articles tagged with #immunotherapy

science14 hours ago•8 min saved

Single-Dose Frog-Derived Bacterium Trims Tumors Completely in Mice

A bacterium isolated from frog gut, Ewingella americana, was given intravenously to mice with colorectal cancer and achieved a 100% complete tumor remission by both directly killing cancer cells and activating an anti-tumor immune response, outperforming some conventional therapies in this model; the bacterium selectively accumulates in tumors, clears rapidly from the bloodstream, and shows no lasting toxicity to healthy organs, suggesting a novel biodiversity-derived approach with potential for other cancers.

via SciTechDaily|

#bacteria #cancer #immunotherapy

science1 day ago•2 min saved

New CAR-T dawn for autoimmune disease: lupus case fuels research and investment

Five years after a lupus patient achieved lasting remission with CAR-T therapy, the case has stirred broad pharma interest and spurred ongoing research into CAR-T for autoimmune diseases, offering renewed hope while highlighting challenges ahead.

via statnews.com|

#autoimmune #biotechnology #car-t

science1 day ago•5 min saved

Single CAR-T dose neutralizes rare trio of autoimmune diseases

A 47-year-old woman with three autoimmune diseases caused by B-cell antibodies—autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune thrombocytopenia, and antiphospholipid syndrome—was treated with a single dose of engineered CAR-T cells after failing multiple therapies. Following targeted conditioning chemotherapy, her blood counts normalized within a month, and 14 months later she remains symptom-free and off all medications, suggesting CAR-T therapy could offer a one-off cure for some autoimmune conditions, though this is a single case and long-term safety and applicability need further study.

via Nature|

#autoimmunity #b-cells #car-t-therapy

science1 day ago•11 min saved

Engineered DNA payload targets glioblastoma with immune boost via viral delivery

A Nature News & Views piece describes Koeber et al.'s strategy to selectively kill glioblastoma cells by using a virus to deliver an engineered DNA sequence that encodes a protein needed for a drug to kill the tumor, plus a cytokine to rally the immune system; in mice, this viral cargo eliminated brain tumours, offering a potential targeted cancer therapy that aims to spare healthy tissue.

via Nature|

#engineered-dna #gene-therapy #glioblastoma

science2 days ago•90 min saved

Engineered super-enhancers enable targeted viral immunotherapy in glioblastoma

A team created synthetic super-enhancers by assembling natural enhancer fragments bound by SOX2 and SOX9 in glioblastoma stem cells to achieve high, selective transgene expression. They packaged these SSEs into AAV vectors to drive a dual payload (HSV-TK/GCV cytotoxic system and IL-12) in a mouse glioblastoma model, achieving tumor clearance and immunological memory; SSE activity was validated in primary human GSCs and brain tissue slices, suggesting SSEs could enable cell-state-specific, potent gene therapy with broad applicability.

via Nature|

#aav #gene-therapy #glioblastoma

science20 days ago•7 min saved

Thymus Health: A Tiny Immune Organ's Big Role in Cancer Therapy

New Nature studies from Aarhus University suggest the thymus—a small immune organ once thought to fade after youth—continues to influence disease risk and how well patients respond to cancer immunotherapy. Better thymus function linked to improved treatment outcomes and longer survival; its decline is accelerated by smoking, obesity, and low activity, pointing to prevention angles and potential for tailoring cancer therapies by patients’ immunological status.

via SciTechDaily|

#aging #cancer #immunotherapy

science20 days ago•6 min saved

Masked immunotherapy VIR-5500 shows early promise against prostate cancer

A masked T-cell engager called VIR-5500 demonstrated early promise in an ongoing advanced prostate cancer trial, with 82% of high-dose patients seeing PSA reductions and about half showing tumor shrinkage; masking aims to reduce inflammatory toxicity and enable safer, slower activation, though results are preliminary and not yet peer-reviewed.

via ScienceAlert|

#clinical-trial #immunotherapy #prostate-cancer

health-and-medicine21 days ago•5 min saved

Engineered virus primes immune attack against glioblastoma

A phase 1 trial in 41 patients with recurrent glioblastoma found that a single injection of a modified herpes simplex virus can kill tumor cells and recruit enduring T cell activity into the tumor, correlating with longer survival than historical outcomes.

via ScienceDaily|

#brain-cancer #glioblastoma #health-and-medicine

science23 days ago•62 min saved

Thymic Health Emerges as a Pan-Cancer Predictor of Immunotherapy Response

A large real-world and TRACERx NSCLC study shows radiographically assessed thymic health, quantified by a deep-learning CT system, strongly associates with better progression-free and overall survival in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors across several cancers. Thymic health performed comparably to established biomarkers like PD-L1 and tumor mutational burden in prognostication, and its link to T cell receptor diversity and immune pathways supports its relevance as a host-immune biomarker and potential target for timing and strategies to boost immunotherapy efficacy.

via Nature|

#cancer-biomarkers #ct-imaging #deep-learning

health24 days ago•6 min saved

Immunotherapy Shrinks Colon Cancer Tumors, Giving Family Hope

After a grim prognosis of two to three years, Spencer Laird’s stage IV colon cancer dramatically improved on a Duke Cancer Center immunotherapy trial with botensilimab and balstilimab: about a year in, nearly all 13 tumors disappeared and the largest remaining lesion shrank to 0.6 cm, while his CEA marker fell, offering the family more time with their daughter and renewed hope. The study targets microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer and aims for long-lasting control with fewer side effects, and researchers plan to expand enrollment and biomarker work. The Lairds began with a second opinion and now travel for ongoing Duke visits.

via WRAL|

#clinical-trial #colon-cancer #duke-cancer-center

health26 days ago•17 min saved

A New Wave of Immunotherapy Promises Lasting Hay Fever Relief

A BBC health feature explains that allergen immunotherapy—especially sublingual drops taken under the tongue—offers a long-term solution for hay fever by desensitising patients to pollen, with evidence of symptom relief lasting years after treatment ends and potential asthma-risk reduction. While injections carry a small risk of anaphylaxis and uptake is limited, sublingual immunotherapy provides a safer, cost-efficient alternative to injections. Treatment typically lasts about three years and should start weeks before pollen season; complementary options include antihistamine-corticosteroid nasal sprays and reducing pollen exposure. Biologics can help severe cases but are costly and don’t induce remission, underscoring the need for early referral and adherence to treatment regimens.

via BBC|

#allergic-rhinitis #hay-fever #health

health26 days ago•4 min saved

Engineered T cells reduce Alzheimer's plaques in mice, a first for neurodegenerative disease

Washington University researchers used CAR-T cell therapy to reprogram brain immune cells to recognize and clear amyloid beta plaques in mice, reducing plaques and dampening neuroinflammation. This is the first application of CAR-T to a neurodegenerative disease, but it is early-stage and not yet ready for humans; scientists plan safety and dosing studies and will explore translation to other disorders, with potential relevance for veterans at risk of dementia.

via Military.com|

#alzheimers-disease #amyloid-beta #car-t-therapy

health27 days ago•7 min saved

CAR-T Therapy for MS Aims to Target Brain B Cells to Slow Disease

U.S. researchers are testing CAR-T therapy—reprogramming a patient’s own T cells to attack overactive B cells implicated in MS—to see if it can reach the brain and slow progression. Early, small trials (including four MS patients at the Cleveland Clinic) show uncertain outcomes and potential risks like cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, with experts cautioning that this approach is highly experimental and may not be more effective than existing MS drugs. Still, findings could improve understanding of MS and guide future therapies, even if not curative.

via NBC News|

#b-cells #car-t-therapy #clinical-trials

health28 days ago•6 min saved

First-line immunotherapy yields dramatic shrinkage in metastatic colon cancer

A 30-year-old father with metastatic, microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer and 13 lung tumors enrolled in a Duke trial testing immunotherapy as a first-line treatment instead of chemotherapy. The therapy dramatically reduced tumors (from 13 to 3; the largest under 0.6 mm), offering a path toward remission and prompting hopes for broader use. Full trial results are due in April, but experts caution it’s not yet standard of care and research will continue to refine patient selection. The case highlights a potential shift in treating certain colorectal cancers when detected early in the disease course.

via CBS News|

#clinical-trial #colorectal-cancer #health

health1 month ago•5 min saved

From flu-like symptoms to remission: a lymphoma patient’s CAR-T comeback

A Pilates instructor’s flu-like symptoms led to a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma diagnosis; after initial chemotherapy, the cancer recurred in her brain, but a personalized CAR-T immunotherapy treatment induced complete remission. She experienced no major side effects, returned to daily life, and will continue regular scans to monitor for recurrence, marking a hopeful turnaround.

via CBS News|

#car-t #diffuse-large-b-cell-lymphoma #health