This is an important step forward in the fight against cancer. Researchers have developed an antibody that can slow the growth of tumors and block the appearance of metastases. Shed light on this discovery that brings hope to patients.
These first promising results were published in the journal Natural Cancer, this Monday, April 25. We learn that a team from IRB Barcelona, in collaboration with the Dutch biotechnology company Merus NV, has developed a new antibody that can fight cancer. Her name ? MCLA-158. To arrive at this conclusive assessment, scientists at the Research Institute for Biomedicine tested the antibody on mice implanted with tumor cells from patients with colon cancer.
And this data is extremely encouraging, as IRB Barcelona researcher Eduard Batlle explains: “The MCLA-158 antibody blocks the spread of cancer to other organs and slows tumor growth. In mice treated with this antibody […]metastases do not occur.”
A big step forward
This antibody is said to be effective in fighting colon cancer (which affects more than 43,000 French men and women a year according to 2018 figures), as well as various tumor models in the head, neck, esophagus or stomach. In addition, this test was also performed in seven patients with head and neck cancer. Result ? They all saw their tumors reduce, either partially (for three of them) or completely (for one patient).
†Therefore, this antibody may be effective in preventing metastases in patients with localized disease in the future.†
Based on this test, the basis could soon be developed for a drug that would stop the growth and metastasis of cancer. For now, the research continues, but the initial results are encouraging.