CANCERNA aims to build on these two breakthroughs and apply RNA-based therapeutics to overcome key barriers to unfold successful anti-cancer immune responses.

Project description

In the past five years, RNA therapeutics have witnessed a true revolution. Several RNA-based therapies have been approved for the treatment of genetic diseases, with unprecedented successes, as in spinal muscular atrophy.

Moreover, the past year showed the world that RNA-based therapies, namely mRNA vaccines, can be the answer to a worldwide pandemic and save the lives of millions. RNA therapies are however lagging behind in clinical oncology.

The overarching aim of this multi-armed project is to develop RNA-based cancer treatments. In parallel, the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized cancer care, but its success remains limited to a subset of patients. Altogether, for 60 percent of the eight million new cancer patients diagnosed in Europe each year, including almost all children with solid tumors, there is no EMA- or FDA-approved immunotherapy option, and they are left out of the circle of hope.
In response, CANCERNA aims to build on these two breakthroughs and apply RNA-based therapeutics to overcome key barriers to unfold successful anti-cancer immune responses.

Our two key objectives are: on one hand, harness the modulation of RNA processing to enhance the accessibility and immune susceptibility of the tumour and its microenvironment. While on the other hand, enhance the activity of the immune system by retargeting immune effector cells, modulating RNA splicing of key immune receptors and developing personalized mRNA vaccines.

The project will focus on two cancer types harboring splicing factor mutations and being generally refractory to immunotherapy: acute myeloid leukemia, relevant for pediatric cancer, and uveal melanoma.

The collective knowledge of our consortium of RNA scientists, clinicians and biotech-pharma experts in RNA processing, RNA drug design and delivery, biocomputing and immuno-oncology provides a unique opportunity to significantly advance novel RNA technologies into successful cancer therapies.

Belgian partners

UA : Universiteit Antwerpen

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