Project description
Revolutionising cancer treatment with bacteria delivery
Despite the effectiveness of immunotherapeutic strategies in fighting malignancies, there is limited uptake of antibody-based agents in tumours as well as tumour-specific immune escape and suppression mechanisms. This has made it difficult for this therapeutic modality to benefit a larger number of patients. This problem is particularly acute in lung cancer, which is the leading cancer with respect to incidence and mortality. The ERC-funded CL-IO project is seeking to overcome the challenges of delivering immunotherapeutics to the tumour site by incorporating genetically-modified Clostridium bacteria as an effective delivery system. Specifically, the project will investigate the commercial feasibility of this approach and develop a business strategy based on the technological aspects, market needs and trends, as well as potential commercialisation.
Objective
Immunotherapeutic strategies are powerful weapons in combating malignancies. However, only a minority of patients benefit from this therapeutic modality, as tumours develop mechanisms of immune escape and suppression and uptake of (antibody-based) agents in tumors is limited. The urgency of investigating novel strategic approaches is dictated by the high incidence and mortality rates of cancer worldwide. Lung cancer, in particular, is the leading cancer with respect to incidence and mortality (14% of new cancers).
In the ERC Advanced “HYPOXIMMUNO”, Prof. Lambin and his team have investigated the trimodal therapy involving high precision Stereotactic Radiotherapy, hypoxia/necrosis targeting and tumour specific immunotherapy (immunocytokine L19-IL2 to “push the accelerator” with a checkpoint inhibitor to “release the break”). Despite promising results, the delivery of immunotherapeutics to the tumour site has proven to be challenging. Prof. Lambin and his team have sought to overcome this limitation with the inclusion of genetically-modified Clostridium bacteria as optimal delivery system capable of effectively delivering immunotherapeutics within the tumour. These Clostridium-bacteria selectively colonise the hypoxic/necrotic regions present in solid tumours and act as cellular factories capable of continuously producing tumour-specific immunotherapies within the tumour (watch https://vimeo.com/251022032 ).
In this ERC PoC project, a team of technological and commercial experts will investigate the commercial feasibility of this innovative approach. We will prepare the first steps towards the start-up of a spin-off, by defining the exact business strategy, model and positioning for commercial success. We will develop the business strategy based on the technological aspects, the market needs and trends, and the IP-position. During CL-IO, we will gain technical and commercial proof-of-concept, providing the necessary information for potential commercialisation routes.
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.
- social sciences sociology demography mortality
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology lung cancer
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2018-PoC
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
6200 MD Maastricht
Netherlands
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.