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How a chimeric protein could expand Medigene's engineered TCR arsenal for cancer
A synthetic costimulatory receptor activated by tumor-expressed PD-L1 is the latest weapon in Medigene AG (Xetra:MDG1)'s immuno-oncology arsenal. By converting an immunosuppressive ligand into a costimulatory signal, the receptor boosts the antitumor activity of T cells bearing low affinity T cell receptors (TCRs).
Since acquiring Trianta Immunotherapies GmbH in 2014, Medigene has focused exclusively on immuno-oncology. The company has three main technologies: a clinical-stage dendritic cell (DC) vaccine program; a platform that identifies natural antitumor TCRs to use in engineered T cell therapies; and a platform generating TCR-specific antibodies to track or deplete the T cell therapies in vivo (see "Medigene Remade." BioCentury (Aug. 17, 2015))...