A European-led medical consortium has secured a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition Programme under Horizon Europe to develop a novel diagnostic test that predicts patient response to immunotherapy. The consortium, comprising Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), the European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Virgen Macarena University Hospital, and OncoHost, will focus on creating NeutroFlow—a point-of-care test designed to identify patients most likely to benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).
The project, coordinated by OncoHost, will officially launch in May 2025 and target five cancer indications: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Addressing a Critical Unmet Need in Immunotherapy
While immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment, clinical data consistently shows that only a subset of patients achieve durable responses. This variability in treatment outcomes highlights the urgent need for reliable predictive biomarkers to guide therapeutic decision-making.
The NeutroFlow project builds upon recent scientific advances, particularly the identification of Ly6Ehi neutrophils as a robust pre-treatment biomarker. This breakthrough, published in Cancer Cell (PMID 38181798), provides the foundation for developing a rapid, flow cytometry-based diagnostic test that can be implemented in standard hospital settings.
Dr. Michal Harel from OncoHost, one of the principal investigators, emphasized the potential impact: "By providing clinicians with actionable information before treatment initiation, we aim to optimize immunotherapy outcomes while sparing non-responders from unnecessary toxicities and treatment delays."
Expert Leadership Across Multiple Institutions
The consortium brings together distinguished leaders in oncology, immunotherapy, and translational medicine:
From Heidelberg University Hospital: Prof. Petros Christopoulos, Dr. Stefanie Zschäbitz, and Dr. Sebastian Dieter will contribute their expertise in translational oncology and immunotherapy research.
The European Institute of Oncology team includes Prof. Francesco Bertolini and Dr. Patrizia Mancuso, recognized for their pioneering work in identifying rare cell populations with predictive potential through flow cytometry.
Virgen Macarena University Hospital is represented by Dr. Luis de la Cruz, Dr. David Vicente-Baz, and Dr. Alberto Moreno, who bring extensive clinical experience in immunotherapy and biomarker-driven trials.
Technical Innovation and Clinical Implementation
The NeutroFlow test aims to overcome current limitations in biomarker testing by offering a cost-effective, scalable solution that can be readily integrated into clinical workflows. Unlike existing biomarkers that often require specialized equipment or complex tissue analysis, the flow cytometry-based approach allows for rapid assessment using technology already available in most hospital laboratories.
The test will analyze neutrophil subpopulations in peripheral blood samples, focusing specifically on the Ly6Ehi neutrophil subset that has demonstrated significant correlation with immunotherapy response. This approach offers several advantages over current methods, including minimal invasiveness, quick turnaround time, and potential for standardization across different clinical settings.
Potential Impact on Precision Oncology
If successful, NeutroFlow could significantly transform the immunotherapy landscape by enabling more precise patient selection. This advancement would address one of the most pressing challenges in oncology today: identifying which patients will benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors before treatment initiation.
The economic implications are also substantial. By reducing ineffective treatments, healthcare systems could realize significant cost savings while improving patient outcomes. Additionally, the ability to predict response could accelerate clinical trials for new immunotherapeutic agents by enabling enrichment strategies for likely responders.
Path to Clinical Implementation
The €2.5 million grant will support comprehensive validation studies across the five target cancer indications. The consortium plans to leverage the extensive patient networks and clinical trial infrastructure of the participating institutions to accelerate development and validation.
Following successful validation, the consortium aims to pursue regulatory approval and establish the necessary manufacturing and distribution channels to ensure broad access to the diagnostic test across European healthcare systems.
This initiative represents a significant step forward in the field of precision oncology, potentially offering clinicians a valuable tool to optimize immunotherapy decisions and improve outcomes for cancer patients throughout Europe and beyond.
