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Gynecological cancers: an alliance to develop a new antibody

12/16/2014
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Preliminary results are encouraging. That's why GamaMabs Pharma and Institut Curie renew their partnership contract to further study the efficacy of a drug candidate against ovarian cancer.
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Monoclonal antibodies are molecules naturally produced by the immune system to trigger a targeted attack on a danger already encountered. It soon became clear that, well chosen, these researchers could not only locate the tumor cells, but also block their growth. This is the case of the 3C23K antibody: it targets the anti-Müllerian hormone receptor (AMHR2), whose expression in adults is restricted to the cells of the ovary and testis. AMHR2 is expressed in approximately 65% ​​of cases of gynecological cancers such as ovary and endometrium.

Ovarian Cancers: New Therapy

The research partnership between Curie-Cancer, the structure that leads the Institut Curie's industrial partnership research activities, and GamaMabs Pharma, a company specializing in the development of monoclonal antibodies against cancer, deals with this drug candidate against cancers of the ovary. The first results of this work on the 3C23K antibody were presented at the Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium in Seattle in September 2014. This new contract should allow further preclinical development in animal models carrying human tumor grafts the operating rooms of the Institut Curie (PDX models).

"In order to validate the first observations made in cellular models in vitro, we needed access to animal models that are very representative of the cancer disease in humans and to the know-how of researchers who are thoroughly familiar with metastatic processes, "said Jean-François Prost, co-founder and Scientific Director of GamaMabs Pharma." The Institut Curie allows us to link these models to the development of AMHRII detection tools in patient biopsies. cancers of the ovary. "

Didier Decaudin, principal investigator of this collaboration and head of the preclinical laboratory of  Institut Curie, adds:

"The promising results in these PDX models in different subtypes of ovarian cancer confirm the potential of 3C23K."

"Beyond the prospect of rapidly bringing an additional therapeutic solution to our patients, we are delighted to be able to help develop a French SME," says Damie Salauze, Director of Curie Cancer. "Know-how developed at the Institut Curie also meet the needs expressed by our industrial partners, which is illustrated by our Carnot label obtained in 2011 in recognition of our commitment to bring them concrete solutions."