Utforskande av nya sätt att förhindra, upptäcka och behandla metastaserande cancer inom precisionsmedicin

We aim to develop unique treatment strategies for patients with metastatic cancer, and in parallell, predictive biomarkers and companion diagnostics for future precision medicine.

The basis is our discovery of a cancerspecific drug target;  the transforming growth factor beta Type I receptor (TβRI) undergoes proteolytic cleavage in cancer.

The soluble intracellular domain (ICD) enters the nucleus where it drives invasion, metastasis and proliferation of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells.

A full human antibody (test-ab) has been generated which prevents cleavage of TβRI-ICD and metastatic spreading, as shown in a successful Proof of Concept study in vivo, in a preclinical human CRPC model. Other forms of cancer will be investigated to find out if they are dependent on TβRI-ICD.

Cell- molecular and tumor biology methods will be used to study effects of test-ab alone or in combination with check point inhibitors in preclinical cancer models.

We discovered recently that TβRI-ICD forms a complex with Aurora kinase B (AURKB), which is frequently overexpressed in several forms of cancer, including CRPC.

By taking advantage of advanced structure biology methods such as crystallization, the 3D-structure of the TβRI-ICD - AURKB complex will be explored to understand how they impact each other´s activity.

This research is in the international frontline and our goal is to improve quality of life for patients with cancer within the next 5-years.