Catumaxomab, an advanced Triomab trifunctional antibody (anti-EpCAM x anti-CD3), binds to cancer-associated surface antigens and recruit both T cells as well as accessory cells, such as macrophages, dendritic cells and natural killer cells to the tumor site.
As a result, they provide for a new quality of cancer cell killing, activating both arms of the immune system – the adaptive one with cytotoxic T cells as effectors and the innate one including accessory effector cells.
The data were obtained by two independent research teams using catumaxomab in malignant ascites and gastric cancer.
In both studies, the antibody response was not restricted to catumaxomab’s target antigen EpCAM, but also included further cancer antigens suggesting the induction of a comprehensive humoral immune response against the individual tumor.
In the gastric cancer study, cellular immune response was also analyzed and confirmed.
The new results confirm the drug’s unique capacity to trigger several immune response mechanisms at the same time.
TRION Pharma CEO Horst Lindhofer said if they are able to align these data with clinical outcome, this offers a paradigm shift in antibody-based cancer therapy – from chronic treatment to short-term application with long-term effects.