SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENT

Development of Immunotoxins for Targeted Cancer Therapy

by

Koji Kawakami, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Advanced Clinical Science and Therapeutics
Graduate School of Medicine
University of Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan

on

Abstract:

The progress of bioinformatics approach to understand the characterization of cell-surface antigens or receptors on tumor cells has stimulated the challenges to generate novel cancer vaccines or neutralizing monoclonal antibody therapeutics. Among the targeted cancer therapeutics, biologicals with targetable antibodies or ligands conjugated or fused to toxins or chemicals for direct cell-killing ability have been developed over the last two decades. These conjugated or fused chimeric proteins are termed immunotoxins or cytotoxins. Two targeted cytotoxins, DAB389IL-2 (ONTAKTM) targeting interleukin-2 receptors and CD33-calicheamycin (MylotargTM), have been approved by the FDA for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), respectively. Immunotoxins including IL13-PE38QQR are being tested in the Phase III clinical trial in the United States. Immunoliposome is a liposome containing therapeutically active molecule that is conjugated to ligand or antibody on the liposomal surface to allow specific binding to the target cells. To develop new immunoliposomal targeted drugs, we are currently in the process of establishing a new laboratory in Biopolis, Singapore in collaboration with Oxygenix, Co., Japan.

ALL ARE WELCOME