New bi-specific antibodies for cancer treatment receive ERC Proof of Concept funding
The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded a Proof of Concept grant to CIC bioGUNE to fund the BiParatopic project.
This innovative initiative aims to develop bi-specific antibodies capable of revolutionising immunological therapies in cancer treatment, with a special focus on patients who do not respond to current treatments.
The European Research Council has awarded a Proof of Concept grant to BRTA member CIC bioGUNE to develop bi-specific antibodies capable of revolutionising immunological therapies in cancer treatment. This research is led by Ikerbasque researchers Jesús Jiménez Barbero, scientific director of CIC bioGUNE and leader of the Chemical Glycobiology group, and June Ereño Orbea, leader of the Cancer Glycoimmunology Laboratory.
Under the name Bispecific Bi-paratopic Antibodies for the Treatment of Cancer, the research addresses one of the main challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Despite advances with immune checkpoint inhibitors, more than 70% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) do not respond to treatments such as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition. One of the key mechanisms in this resistance is the overexpression of sialic acid glycans in tumour cells, which interfere with immune system function by binding to Siglec receptors on immune cells, blocking their response.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat types of lung cancer, and remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the world. In this context, the CIC bioGUNE team, with the support of the ERC Proof of Concept grant, is working on the design of bi-specific antibodies that act on two epitopes of the same immune checkpoint receptor, blocking its immunosuppressive function. This strategy has the potential to reactivate the immune system and overcome the limitations of current treatments, offering new therapeutic alternatives for patients resistant to conventional therapies.
The project includes the engineering, structural characterisation and functional validation of these antibodies, as well as preclinical studies in NSCLC models to assess their efficacy. In addition, the ERC Proof of Concept grant will explore the commercial potential of this development, with the aim of bringing the bi-specific antibodies to the clinic. The research team will also work on patent applications and collaboration with pharmaceutical companies to ensure technology transfer to the market.
With this initiative, CIC bioGUNE takes an important step in oncology research, opening new perspectives for the treatment of cancer patients resistant to conventional treatments, especially those with non-small lung cancer and other tumours.
ERC Proof of Concept projects funded by the European Research Council (ERC PoC) are aimed at researchers who currently have ERC projects and who want to explore the commercial potential of their research work. These projects are focused on establishing proof of concept of an idea that was generated in the course of ERC-funded projects. The funding of €150,000 is primarily for activities aimed at converting research results into a commercial product.
