Peptide Linkers for Modulating Antigen Immune Response in Cancer Vaccines

SHORT DESCRIPTION

A novel non-biologically derived peptide linker technology enabling precise intracellular release of vaccine antigens to enhance immune activation.

NU TECH ID

NU 2024-124

• Chad Mirkin*
  • Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry
• Tanner Fink

IP STATUS

Pending

THERAPEUTICS DEVELOPMENT STAGE

Target Validation

• Preclinical efficacy PoC (small animals)

BACKGROUND

Current peptide-based cancer vaccines have shown unsatisfactory results in clinical trials due to low immunogenicity. Existing technologies fail to ensure effective intracellular antigen release resulting in limited T-cell activation. Many approaches rely on chemically labile linkers that cannot adequately preserve antigen structure during release. An unmet need exists for a method that can control antigen processing to overcome these limitations and improve vaccine performance.

ABSTRACT

Northwestern researchers have developed a specially designed non-biological peptide sequence that, when conjugated to peptide antigens, enables controlled, spatial, and temporal intracellular release via cleavage by the endosomal protease Cathepsin S. The technique ensures that antigens are released in their unmodified, and therefore their most immunogenic, state. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate robust immune activation, suggesting significant potential for advancing peptide-based cancer vaccines. This technology overcomes the limitations of current cancer vaccines by improving the delivery and immunogenicity of peptide antigens delivered through nanoparticle-based vaccine formulations.

APPLICATIONS

• Cancer immunotherapy: Enhances antigen processing to promote targeted immune responses in cancer immunotherapy.
• Nanoparticle vaccine formulations: Enables controlled intracellular release for improved vaccine efficacy.
• Development of peptide-based vaccines.
• Immunoengineering and precision medicine.

ADVANTAGES

• Enhances immune activation: Achieves more robust T-cell responses compared to conventional methods.
• Controls antigen release: Provides precise spatial and temporal control of intracellular antigen release and maintains antigen integrity.
• Improved stability and immunogenicity of peptide antigens by avoiding premature degradation.
• Versatile platform: Compatible with various nanoparticle-based vaccine formulations, including spherical nucleic acid vaccine platforms.
• Addresses unmet clinical need: Overcomes limitations of low immunogenicity in peptide-based vaccines.

PUBLICATIONS

N/A

KEYWORDS

Peptide linkers, cancer vaccine, immune activation, nanoparticle vaccine, antigen processing, Cathepsin S, peptide-based vaccine, immunotherapy