Design of multi-epitope, analogue-based cancer vaccines

Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2003 Sep;3(6):985-93. doi: 10.1517/14712598.3.6.985.

Abstract

The current objective of our cancer programme is to develop an effective vaccine based on rationally designed T cell epitope analogues, for use in the adjuvant setting for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colon cancer. Analogue epitopes, enhanced for either human leukocyte antigen (HLA) binding or T cell receptor (TCR) signalling, have been shown to be more effective at breaking immunological tolerance than cognate wild-type epitopes. Although encouraging early-phase clinical data has been obtained by others using a limited number of HLA-A2-restricted epitope analogues, the clinical benefits and immune correlates for vaccines comprised of multiple epitope analogues restricted by multiple HLA supertypes remains to be investigated. Clinical studies are currently being conducted on EP-2101, a prototype vaccine that delivers multiple HLA-A2-restricted analogue epitopes. In parallel, fixed anchor and heteroclitic analogues restricted by three other commonly expressed HLA supertypes are being identified. These analogues will be incorporated into future vaccines including optimised minigenes (epigenes) and tested in preclinical and clinical studies addressing various different cancer indications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Design
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology
  • Neoplasm Proteins / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments