CureMatch Announces Publication In Oncoimmunology Of Data Unveiling A Specific Mutagenesis Process Linked To The Response To Immunotherapy In Cancer
Scientists Validate Need to Determine
Specific Subset of Mutations that Elicit Cancer Therapy Response
SAN DIEGO, CA – February 7, 2017 – CureMatch, the developer of a decision support platform for combination therapy in cancer, today revealed in the peer-reviewed journal OncoImmunology the description of a specific mechanism that can potentially be used for selecting patients predisposed to respond to immunotherapy.
During the last decade, various immunotherapy approaches have shown promising results in patients suffering from cancer. One of the most successful strategies leverages immune checkpoints as “off” switches when bound to their ligand found on antigen-presenting and tumor cells, such as PD-1 and PD-1 ligands. Recent evidence has established a link between the genomic instability of cancer and the response to checkpoint blockade in various tumor types.
Researchers in the study used a set of 8,475 samples, corresponding to 32 different cancer types, and a series of multivariate regression models to explain the overall association between high levels of PD-1 ligand expression and different mutation burden mechanisms. The data confirmed the association previously observed between PD-1 ligand expression and the presence of tumor mutagenesis processes. Of greater interest, the research highlighted the critical role played by APOBEC enzymes, and their dysfunction.
The study results demonstrated that the factors that most significantly and independently correlate with PD-L1/2 overexpression relate to APOBEC dysregulation and the resulting kataegis mutational signature; and these factors, in turn, are independently linked to the overall mutation burden.
“It is clear that not all patients with high tumor mutational burden respond to traditional treatment, and it is therefore crucial to determine the specific subset of mutations that elicit an immune reaction,” said Igor Tsigelny, PhD., Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, CureMatch. “The ability to determine the precise mutations that will respond to a specific combination therapy is the next revolution in cancer care and we are committed to remaining at the forefront for both cancer patients and oncologists.”
The study was performed in collaboration with the Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy at University of California, San Diego. Dr. Amelie Boichard, Dr. Igor Tsigelny, and Dr. Razelle Kurzrock are co-authors on the article. A copy of the article, High Expression of PD-1 Ligands is Associated with Kataegis Mutational Signature and APOBEC3 Alterations, can be downloaded from OncoImmunology website (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/figure/10.1080/2162402X.2017.1284719).
About CureMatch
CureMatch™, Inc., based in San Diego, is a digital health company focused on personalized medicine and combination therapy in oncology. Combination therapy has been used effectively in the treatment of other diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, and is considered by many to be the future of cancer treatment. CureMatch’s decision support system guides oncologists in the selection of combinations of cancer drugs that are personalized for individual patients, based on the molecular profile of the patient’s own tumor. The CureMatch platform with a foundation in oncology, genetics, proteomics, biochemistry, and cell biology was originally developed and licensed by a multidisciplinary team at UC San Diego Moore’s Cancer Center and the San Diego Supercomputer Center. For more information, visit www.curematch.com
SAN DIEGO, CA – February 7, 2017 – CureMatch, the developer of a decision support platform for combination therapy in cancer, today revealed in the peer-reviewed journal OncoImmunology the description of a specific mechanism that can potentially be used for selecting patients predisposed to respond to immunotherapy.
During the last decade, various immunotherapy approaches have shown promising results in patients suffering from cancer. One of the most successful strategies leverages immune checkpoints as “off” switches when bound to their ligand found on antigen-presenting and tumor cells, such as PD-1 and PD-1 ligands. Recent evidence has established a link between the genomic instability of cancer and the response to checkpoint blockade in various tumor types.
Researchers in the study used a set of 8,475 samples, corresponding to 32 different cancer types, and a series of multivariate regression models to explain the overall association between high levels of PD-1 ligand expression and different mutation burden mechanisms. The data confirmed the association previously observed between PD-1 ligand expression and the presence of tumor mutagenesis processes. Of greater interest, the research highlighted the critical role played by APOBEC enzymes, and their dysfunction.
The study results demonstrated that the factors that most significantly and independently correlate with PD-L1/2 overexpression relate to APOBEC dysregulation and the resulting kataegis mutational signature; and these factors, in turn, are independently linked to the overall mutation burden.
“It is clear that not all patients with high tumor mutational burden respond to traditional treatment, and it is therefore crucial to determine the specific subset of mutations that elicit an immune reaction,” said Igor Tsigelny, PhD., Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, CureMatch. “The ability to determine the precise mutations that will respond to a specific combination therapy is the next revolution in cancer care and we are committed to remaining at the forefront for both cancer patients and oncologists.”
The study was performed in collaboration with the Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy at University of California, San Diego. Dr. Amelie Boichard, Dr. Igor Tsigelny, and Dr. Razelle Kurzrock are co-authors on the article. A copy of the article, High Expression of PD-1 Ligands is Associated with Kataegis Mutational Signature and APOBEC3 Alterations, can be downloaded from OncoImmunology website (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/figure/10.1080/2162402X.2017.1284719).
About CureMatch
CureMatch™, Inc., based in San Diego, is a digital health company focused on personalized medicine and combination therapy in oncology. Combination therapy has been used effectively in the treatment of other diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, and is considered by many to be the future of cancer treatment. CureMatch’s decision support system guides oncologists in the selection of combinations of cancer drugs that are personalized for individual patients, based on the molecular profile of the patient’s own tumor. The CureMatch platform with a foundation in oncology, genetics, proteomics, biochemistry, and cell biology was originally developed and licensed by a multidisciplinary team at UC San Diego Moore’s Cancer Center and the San Diego Supercomputer Center. For more information, visit www.curematch.com