Scancell: Apoptosis now

Many companies developing antibody-based cancer therapies identify antibodies that either mark the cancer site for destruction by the body's immune mechanisms, or act as a vector for chemotherapy to target the area. By contrast, Scancell Ltd. develops antibodies that directly kill the cells by inducing apoptosis.

As a second strategy, the company uses human antibodies to generate ImmunoBodies, fusion proteins in which the antibody carries T cell epitopes from tumor antigens. These ImmunoBodies are used as cancer vaccines specifically targeting dendritic cells in vivo, a trick that Scancell says many others have failed to accomplish to date...