Targeting Liver and Bile Duct Cancers with Specific Immune Cells

This patent describes a method to treat liver and bile duct cancers by using specially activated immune cells that recognize a unique protein fragment found on these cancer cells.

What it covers

This patent claims a method for treating patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer) or bile duct cancer. The treatment involves giving the patient a composition containing activated CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. These T cells are specifically trained to recognize and bind to a particular peptide, LTDSFPLKV (SEQ ID NO: 37), when it's presented on the surface of cancer cells by an MHC class I molecule, as stated in claim 1. The patent also covers methods where the composition includes an adjuvant, such as IL-2 or IL-7, to boost the immune response (claim 2). For example, a patient with bile duct cancer could receive an infusion of these specially prepared T cells, potentially alongside an immune-boosting substance, to help their body fight the cancer.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover treating cancers other than hepatocellular carcinoma or bile duct cancer.
• —Does not cover targeting peptide sequences different from LTDSFPLKV (SEQ ID NO: 37).
• —Does not cover therapies that use immune cells other than activated CD8+ cytotoxic T cells.
• —Does not cover methods where the target peptide is not presented in a complex with an MHC class I molecule on the cancer cell surface.

The clever bit

The core innovation lies in identifying the specific peptide sequence, LTDSFPLKV (SEQ ID NO: 37), as a unique marker on hepatocellular carcinoma and bile duct cancer cells that can be targeted by the immune system's CD8+ T cells.

Why it matters

Hepatocellular carcinoma and bile duct cancer are often aggressive and difficult to treat with traditional therapies. This patent offers a targeted immunotherapy approach, aiming to specifically direct the body's immune system to destroy these particular cancer cells. By identifying a unique cancer-specific peptide, it provides a potential pathway for more precise and effective treatments for these challenging diseases.

Real-world examples

• 1.Adoptive T-cell therapy for solid tumors
• 2.Personalized cancer immunotherapies
• 3.T-cell receptor (TCR) based therapies
• 4.Cancer vaccines using specific tumor antigens