Research database

THE CHALLENGE: Cancer immunotherapies approaches have failed to induce effective immune responses in most patients due to immune evasion mechanisms, including heterogeneity and lack of tumorantigen presentation. Moreover, these therapies have met limited success in the treatment of solid tumors and are frequently associated with severe adverse effects. RADICAL VISION: The radical vision of the RESYNC consortium is to revolutionize cancer immunotherapy through small-molecule (SM)-based reprogramming of cancer cells into immunogenic (neo)antigen-presenting dendritic cells type 1 (cDC1) to elicit a personalized anti-tumor immunity. Cell reprogramming will be coupled with nanoparticle formulations enabling safe, low cost and efficient systemic targeting of disseminated tumors. The proposed platform will enable breakthrough innovations in the cellular reprogramming-based therapeutics space and have a broad and disruptive effect on the immune-oncology therapeutics scientific field and market. With a complementary consortium, we expect to achieve proof-of-concept for chemical cDC1 reprogramming by the end of the project (2026). IMPACT: This project will result in next generation platforms for cell-targeted delivery of SMs with unprecedented cell specificity. Although the focus of this project is to deliver reprogramming factors to cancer cells, these delivery systems may be used to treat any indication where targeted delivery is required, such as auto-immune disorders, cardiac dysfunction and others requiring tissue regeneration and rejuvenation.