A novel natural antibody-based therapy for liver cancers

Liver cancer is amongst the most common tumours worldwide, with approximately 800,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Most people are diagnosed with advanced disease, which typically carries a mere 9% five-year survival rate. There is an urgent need to identify new technologies to improve liver cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes.

University of the Highlands and Islands research recently identified a novel role for naturally occurring antibodies in treating liver and other cancers. Specifically, in vitro studies established that natural antibodies present in plasma isolated from healthy donors can deliver increased tumour killing activity.

This project will establish the clinical utility of screening anticancer antibodies in plasma and developing natural antibody-based therapies to treat advanced liver cancer. This involves screening healthy donor blood samples for the presence of natural anti-cancer antibodies. Once identified, samples with high levels of natural antibodies will be purified and pooled for use as a novel therapy in ongoing clinical trials taking place in China.

Objectives
Perform large scale blood sample screening and plasma enrichment for natural anti-cancer antibodies. Secure intellectual property licenses to enable natural
antibody clinical trials. Evaluate and publish results of these studies as appropriate.

This project has established a new type of cancer therapy based on the identification, purification and delivery of natural anti-cancer antibodies. Successful demonstration of this technology in ongoing trials would have significant clinical and economic implications.