Gonzalo Fernández-Miranda, associate researcher at IRB Barcelona, leads this therapeutic project selected by CaixaImpulse to facilitate its development towards the market.
The third edition of the CaixaImpulse, a programme run by the Banking Foundation La Caixa and Caixa Capital Risc that supports the development of bio-health projects, is to fund an immunotherapy project for advanced head and neck cancers (HNCs) at IRB Barcelona. Gonzalo Fernández-Miranda, associate researcher with the Translational Control of Cell Cycle and Differentiation Lab—lead by Raúl Méndez— heads this eight-month project entitled “Immunotherapy for HNCs, New potential immunotherapy drug for advanced head and neck cancers”.
The incidence of HNCs is increasing worldwide, and there are still no effective therapies to treat these conditions. HNCs are generally diagnosed in late stages and frequently have a poor prognosis. This project seeks to develop a new cancer immunotherapy focused on an innovative mechanism of action, which combines a cytotoxic effect on malignant cells and an enhanced antitumor immune response.
“The possibility of using a single drug with a dual beneficial effect, such as cancer cell- selective cytotoxicity and enhanced antitumor immune response, breaks new ground in terms of developing advanced therapies for cancer patients,” explains Fernández-Miranda.
In order to facilitate the development of this project and to work on the valorisation plan, CaixaImpulse provides it with high-value resources, such as financial support and the assignment of a Mentor to monitor and support the project.
It also offers the project leader the chance to meet key partners, industry experts and consultants to explore collaboration and business opportunities, in addition to training in key areas like IP Rights, finance and commercialization. “It helps us to understand what we need to create a successful spin-off”, stresses Fernández-Miranda.
This project also involves Raúl Méndez, ICREA researcher and group leader of the Translational Control of Cell Cycle and Differentiation Lab at IRB Barcelona, and Chiara Lara Castellazzi, researcher at Technology Transfer Programme from Fundación Botín. It also involves Alba Olivares from the Innovation Department at IRB Barcelona.
IRB Barcelona’s project is one of the 23 (out of 80 applications) to receive funding this year. CaixaImpulse seeks to promote the transformation of knowledge in the field of life sciences and healthcare into business initiatives.
More information about CaixaImpulse Programme
EFE has published an article on the “BIO International Convention”, one of the main fairs organised by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and that takes place in Boston from today until Thursday, 7 June. In this event, special emphasis will be given to topics such as fundraising and new gene therapies, among others. IRB Barcelona, represented its Innovation Department is one of the institutions participating in this event.
Link to EFE
The Heraldo newspaper has published an article about the role of immunotherapy to rearm patients’ defences and contribute to the fight against cancer. In the article, the authors mention the work of Eduard Batlle, ICREA researcher at IRB Barcelona, on the effectiveness that enhances immune system function in colon cancer.
Link to Heraldo
La Razón newspaper has published an article on the grants given by the European Research Council (ERC) to five researchers in Barcelona. Among these grants is the ERC Proof of Concept that Modesto Orozco, head of the Molecular Modelling and Bioinformatics Lab at IRB Barcelona, has received. This grant will allow him to optimise and validate "2shRNA", a tool that can simultaneously attack two therapeutic targets involved in drug resistance pathways and that can also bind to other molecules to enhance their delivery and efficacy.
