MedGenome study indicates cancer vaccine as viable option to treat Lynch Syndrome

Our Bureau, BengaluruFriday, September 7, 2018, 14:20 Hrs  [IST]

MedGenome sees that a cancer vaccine would be the answer for personalized treatment for Lynch Syndrome(LS) which is a hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).

LS is the most common hereditary syndrome which increases the life-time risk of developing cancers of other organs, such as colon, stomach, small intestines, liver, kidney, uterus, brain, pelvis and prostate.

The Bengaluru-based company in collaboration with Kailash Cancer Hospital and Research Center (KCHRC), Goraj, examined the feasibility of treating Lynch Syndrome using a personalized cancer vaccine approach by identifying potential immunogenic tumor specific alterations.

The company used its proprietary neoepitope prioritization pipeline OncoPeptVAC to select potential immunogenic peptides from whole-exome and RNA-seq data generated from the patient tumor. From a list of over 50 predicted neoepitopes, three neoepitopes were tested in an ex vivo CD8+ T cell activation assay confirming their immunogenicity.

According to  Dr. Rakshit Shah, Surgical oncologist, KCHRC, Vadodara the screening for genetic mutation in colorectal cancer patients especially those with familial history could help in identifying those that are vulnerable to the disease.

“Such genetic based screening could be an efficient way of preventing colorectal cancer. Families with history for colorectal cancer like lynch syndrome should be advised to undergo genetic screening and if they carry mutations like MLH1 they are likely to develop the disease  before the age of 50. Our study is unique as genetic screening in familial colorectal cancer has not been widely reported in India, he added.
“Given that Lynch syndrome has limited treatment options, this study provides a basis for considering a cancer vaccine approach that could be used either as monotherapy or in combination with established immuno-oncology or chemotherapy drugs”, said Dr. Amit Chaudhuri, VP R&D, MedGenome and a Senior author of this study.