New Compound that Stimulates Immune Cells to Eliminate Cancers

General Information

Cytokines, such as interferon-alpha and interleukin-2, have been used to treat cancer patients with limited success. Unfortunately, these cytokines also have profound side effects that limit their use. A UC San Diego researcher has developed a novel method to treat and prevent cancer using the cytokine IL-17D which stimulates immune cells to eliminate cancers. Such an approach does not cause side effects seen with other pro-inflammatory members of the IL-17 family.

Efficacy of this new method has been shown in mouse models; initially with overexpression of IL-17D in implanted tumor lines, but more recently using exogenously applied IL-17D as would occur in clinical use. Although a full publication on this material is still pending, two abstracts may be reviewed at:

IL-17D mediated cancer rejection
Timothy O'Sullivan, Robert Saddawi-Konefka, and Jack Bui

IL-17D, natural killer cells, and macrophages collaborate to promote tumor rejection (P2097) Jack Bui, Timothy O'Sullivan, Robert Saddawi-Konefka, and Emilie Gross

Detailed description of technoogy is available under secrecy agreement.  

Patent Status