British techbio innovator Etcembly, which is based at Harwell Campus, is teaming up with researchers and clinicians from the University of Surrey to launch a ground-breaking new study that could transform the future of cancer treatment. By analysing the immune cells of cancer survivors, this research is set to reveal untapped targets that could deliver the next generation of immunotherapies.

In recent years, treatments that harness a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer have become a key pillar of oncology. However, these drugs don’t work for all, and a wider range of novel immunotherapies is urgently needed.

T cells – specialised immune cells that recognise and destroy cancer – are a vital part of the immune response against the disease. However, the specific molecules that these cells target within tumours remain unclear.

This collaboration between Etcembly and Dr Nicola Annels at the University of Surrey, together with Professor Hardev Pandha at the Royal Surrey Hospital, will take a fresh approach to finding these targets by analysing samples from patients who have survived various cancers for more than three years.

By uncovering the molecules that T cells use to recognise and destroy cancer cells, the team hopes to unlock novel targets for breakthrough treatments, including Etcembly’s own pipeline of immunotherapies.

At the heart of the study are T cell receptors (TCRs) and antibodies, which immune cells use to find and destroy tumours. Etcembly will use their proprietary single-cell sequencing technology and AI-driven analytical platform, EMLy^TM, to analyse millions of TCRs and antibodies in blood and tumour samples taken from patients with complete or near-complete responses to immunotherapy. 

By harnessing the unparalleled capabilities of large language models (LLMs) – a form of generative AI – and advanced structural modelling, the team aims to identify tumour-reactive receptors and trace them back to the molecules that they are detecting within cancer cells. The team expects to pinpoint and prioritise these targets within 12 to 18 months, accelerating the development of life-saving treatments for patients worldwide.

Nick Pumphrey, Chief Scientific Officer at Etcembly, said:

We’re delighted to collaborate with the team at the University of Surrey on this pioneering research project. By studying people who are surviving cancer, we can identify TCRs and targets that have already proven to be effective, giving us a blueprint to develop a new generation of life-saving immunotherapies.

Hardev Pandha, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Surrey and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, added,

Immunotherapy has been transformational in the field of oncology this last decade. Studying the immune system, and in particular the tumour immune microenvironment, in these responder patients using Etcembly’s approach will be strongly supported by patients to accelerate the development of potent immunotherapies applicable to a wide range of cancers.

Find out more here.