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Akston Biosciences and Purdue University Launch Immunotherapy Trial for Canine Bladder Cancer

• Purdue University and Akston Biosciences are trialing an anti-cPD-L1 monoclonal antibody to treat canine urothelial carcinoma. • The immunotherapy aims to enhance the immune system's ability to target and destroy cancer cells in dogs with bladder cancer. • The trial assesses the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor effects of the mAb, supported by an NCI grant and Purdue's One Health initiative. • Parallel studies will explore the mAb's effects on anti-tumor immune responses, potentially advancing immunotherapy for both canine and human cancers.

Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with Akston Biosciences Corporation, has begun enrolling dogs with urinary bladder cancer in a clinical trial to test a novel immunotherapy. The treatment involves an anti-cPD-L1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) designed to block the cPD-L1 protein on cancer cells, boosting the immune system's ability to combat the cancer and improve survival outcomes.
The partnership between Purdue and Akston follows the technology's development at the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR). Invasive urothelial carcinoma (InvUC), also known as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), is the most prevalent and aggressive form of urinary bladder cancer in dogs. While treatments have improved, the cancer often develops resistance and progresses over time.
The trial is evaluating the mAb's safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor effects, with support from a National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant through the PRE-medical Cancer Immunotherapy Network Canine Trials Consortium (PRECINCT) U01 program. Additional support comes from the Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center (WCORC) at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, aligning with Purdue’s One Health initiative.
Parallel studies will also examine the mAb's impact on anti-tumor immune responses in dogs, potentially informing immunotherapy strategies for both canine and human cancer patients. Millie, a 10-year-old Shetland Sheepdog, was the first dog to receive the anti-cPD-L1 mAb. Shetland Sheepdogs have a threefold to fivefold increased risk of developing bladder cancer compared to mixed-breed dogs, according to Deborah W. Knapp, DVM, MS, Director of the WCORC, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology, and Purdue’s lead veterinarian on the study.

Akston Biosciences' Role

Akston Biosciences holds an exclusive option to license the anti-cPD-L1 mAb and is responsible for developing and manufacturing the antibody at its facility in Beverly, Mass., for the trial. Akston also has a pipeline of candidates for conditions in animals including chronic pain, atopic dermatitis and obesity.

Trial Details and Participation

For more information about the trial or to participate, visit the Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center (WCORC) at Purdue website.
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Reference News

[1]
Purdue University and Akston Biosciences Bring “First Dose of Hope” in New Cancer ...
vet.purdue.edu · Nov 23, 2024

Purdue University and Akston Biosciences enroll dogs with urothelial carcinoma in a clinical trial of an anti-cPD-L1 mon...

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