RECIPIENT OF THE JUDAH FOLKMAN ANGIOGENESIS AWARD FOR CANCER GENE THERAPY

This study will test the central hypothesis that T-body cell therapy is the only form of antioangiogenic gene therapy immediately translatable clinically that can deliver sustained vascular disrupting agent-type effect which is tumor-specific, self-amplifying in vivo and endowed with memory. The research will generate and test in vitro human lymphocytes engineered to recognize and attack tumor blood vessels, and conduct a phase I trial to test their safety and anti-tumor efficacy in patients with advanced recurrent ovarian and peritoneal cancers. Development and delivery of T-cells directed against tumor vascular targets offers multiple theoretical advantages: it can be highly specific, efficient and sustained in time. In addition, it as the potential for significant antigen-induced amplification in vivo and is the only one that can provide long-term memory.

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