Immutep

IMP321’s potency as a new immunopotentiator in cancer patients

Immutep Announces That ImmuFact® IMP321 Induces Activation of a Wide Range of Human Effector Cytotoxic Cells.

Research paper describes IMP321’s potency as a new immunopotentiator in cancer patients.

The Published Paper: “A Soluble Form of Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (IMP321) Induces Activation of a Large Range of Human Effector Cytotoxic Cells”, Chrystelle Brignone, Caroline Grygar, Manon Marcu, Knut Schäkel, and Frédéric Triebel, Journal of Immunology 2007 179: 4202-4211

The principal anti-tumour immune response is mediated through the activation of type 1 cytotoxic (Tc1) CD8+ T cells, NK cells and monocytes/macrophages. The research team investigated the potency of IMP321 at inducing such a cytotoxic-type response in short term ex vivo assays on human blood cells.

The research team found that IMP321, a soluble recombinant form of the human LAG-3 protein, binds to all circulating dendritic cells and a fraction of MHC class II+ monocytes. Four hours after addition of IMP321 to blood cells these antigen-presenting cells (APC) produce cytokines important for initiating the immune response. At 18 hours, following this activation of the APC, a significant number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells are fully activated in their turn and produce Tc1 cytokines such as IFN-γ or TNF-α. Similar induction was observed in metastatic cancer patients.

In contrast to IMP321, TLR agonists, another class of immunostimulatory factors, all induce the immunosuppressive IL-10 cytokine, and are therefore unable to achieve the Tc1 IFN-γ+ response that is crucial to an effective anti-tumoral effect.

Thus, IMP321 has properties that confirm its uniqueness and potency as a new immunopotentiator in cancer patients.

Published 09/2007 by admin@immutep.com