A new type of immunotherapy could offer fresh hope to cancer patients who do not respond to existing treatments. Scientists at King’s College London have developed an antibody therapy that activates the immune system in a different way, helping it fight cancer more effectively. This breakthrough could be particularly beneficial for patients with aggressive breast and ovarian cancers.

How Does This New Treatment Work?Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy or radiation, which can harm healthy cells, immunotherapy targets only the cancerous ones. The most common antibody used in cancer immunotherapy is called IgG, which works by recognizing cancer cells and helping the immune system destroy them. However, IgG therapy is not always effective, especially in some patients with HER2-positive breast and ovarian cancers.

HER2 is a protein found in some cancer cells that promotes their growth. Current therapies, such as IgG-based drugs, aim to block HER2 to slow the spread of cancer. However, not all patients respond to these treatments, leading researchers to look for alternative solutions.

A New Antibody: IgE

The research team at King’s College London, led by Dr. Heather Bax, explored the potential of a different antibody called IgE. Unlike IgG, IgE interacts with different immune cells, activating them in a unique way to fight cancer. The study focused on creating IgE versions of existing IgG therapies and testing their ability to trigger an immune response against HER2-positive cancer cells.

The results were promising. IgE antibodies not only activated immune cells but also reprogrammed the environment around the tumour. This shift changed the immune system from being suppressed (which allows tumours to grow) to being highly active in attacking cancer cells.

Positive Results in Animal Testing

The researchers tested this new approach in mice that had tumours resistant to conventional treatments. They found that the IgE therapy successfully directed immune cells to attack HER2-positive cancer cells and slowed tumour growth. This suggests that IgE-based treatment could be an effective option for patients who do not benefit from existing therapies.

Dr. Bax explained the significance of this discovery, "Around 20 per cent of breast and ovarian cancers are HER2-positive. By developing IgE antibodies that target HER2, we have shown for the first time that they can effectively reprogram the immune system to fight cancer. This could offer a new treatment option for patients with resistant cancers."

What’s Next?

While the study was conducted in mice, the next step is to develop the therapy for human use. The researchers believe that with the right investment and clinical trials, IgE therapy could be available for patients in as little as 3 to 5 years.

Professor Sophia Karagiannis, a co-author of the study, emphasized the broader potential of this treatment, "We found that IgE antibodies consistently activate the immune system to fight cancer across different tumour types. This opens up a new frontier in cancer treatment and could benefit many patients in the future."

Dr Kotryna Temcinaite from Breast Cancer Now, which funded the study, also highlighted its importance, "This exciting research could lead to new treatments for people with HER2-positive breast cancer who don’t respond to existing therapies. Now that we know the treatment works in principle, further studies will help determine its full potential for patients."

The Future of Cancer Treatment

If successful, IgE therapy could revolutionize cancer treatment by offering a more targeted and effective approach for patients with difficult-to-treat tumours. The ability of IgE antibodies to reprogram the immune system makes them a promising candidate for future therapies.

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