Israeli biotechnology firm OncoHost has recently secured a substantial €2.5 million (approximately $2.8 million) grant through the European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition Programme, a component of the extensive Horizon Europe funding initiative by the European Union. This financial infusion is aimed at propelling the development of an innovative biomarker named NeutroFlow, designed to enhance the precision of immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients by predicting their individual responses. This breakthrough promises to significantly refine personalized cancer care by identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from specific immunotherapeutic strategies, thereby reducing the incidence of ineffective treatments and associated side effects.
The NeutroFlow project is spearheaded by OncoHost in collaboration with notable partners including Heidelberg University Hospital and the European Institute of Oncology (EIO). The EIO’s Professor Francesco Bertolini described this grant as a “unique and precious” opportunity, emphasizing the potential to transition compelling preclinical insights into clinically validated diagnostic tools. This advancement holds the promise of better selecting therapies tailored to each cancer patient’s unique biological profile. The technology zeroes in on a particular subset of white blood cells known as Ly6Ehi neutrophils, distinguished by high expression levels of the Ly6E marker on their surfaces. Detecting these cells helps predict patient response to immunotherapies across a variety of cancers such as melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and triple-negative breast cancer. This specificity serves as a beacon in the quest for more accurate and effective treatment regimens.
Recent groundbreaking research published in the prestigious journal Cancer Cell underscores the clinical value of Ly6Ehi neutrophils as robust pre-treatment biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a class of immunotherapy drugs formulated to amplify the body's immune defenses against cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed treatment landscapes by enabling the immune system to recognize and attack tumor cells. However, their efficacy varies widely among patients, making predictive biomarkers like NeutroFlow especially vital for optimizing treatment strategies. OncoHost highlights that NeutroFlow is being developed as a simple, point-of-care diagnostic test. This test relies on flow cytometry, a widely accessible laboratory technique that enables rapid and precise identification of the neutrophil sub-population, making it feasible to integrate seamlessly into clinical workflows across medical facilities globally.
Commenting on the project’s potential, Professor Petros Christopoulos of Heidelberg University Hospital expressed enthusiasm about NeutroFlow’s promise as “the first cell-based immunotherapy biomarker” to enter routine clinical use. This advancement is anticipated to significantly enhance personalized patient care by enabling oncologists to tailor immunotherapy treatments according to the unique immunological landscape of each patient's blood cells. OncoHost’s CEO, Ofer Sharon, underscored the persistent challenge posed by the absence of highly predictive biomarkers in immuno-oncology, noting that the company is advancing its proprietary PROphet profiling platform to broaden its application across various cancer types and treatment modalities. As immunotherapy continues to revolutionize oncology, innovations like NeutroFlow exemplify the critical intersection of cutting-edge science and practical clinical application, paving the way for more effective, personalized cancer therapies.
OncoHost’s achievement is a shining example of the growing momentum within the precision oncology space to harness biomarkers that offer tailored treatment insights. While immune checkpoint inhibitors have yielded notable successes in oncology, their benefits remain confined to select patient groups, highlighting the urgent need for biomarkers that can forecast therapeutic outcomes reliably. NeutroFlow stands out by promising not just enhanced predictive power but also accessibility, leveraging existing clinical laboratory technologies to deliver quick and actionable results. This development aligns with a broader trend toward personalized medicine, where treatment strategies are increasingly informed by the molecular and cellular attributes of individual patients. Such advances not only improve clinical outcomes but also serve to reduce unnecessary treatments, side effects, and healthcare costs, underscoring the multiple benefits of biomarker-driven precision oncology.
#PrecisionOncology #Immunotherapy #CancerResearch #Biomarkers #PersonalizedMedicine #OncoHost #HealthcareInnovation
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