Researchers are developing a therapeutic approach with few side effects to treat an aggressive form of blood cancer

Researchers led by Prof. Dr Salih from the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research at the DKFZ’s partner site in Tübingen have, with funding of €528,000 over six years from the Wilhelm Sander Foundation, developed an innovative immunocytokine (a therapeutic antibody with a cytokine attached to it). The ‘modified immunocytokine’ (MIC molecule) specifically activates immune cells against leukaemia cells and can avoid the serious side effects triggered by previously available immunocytokines. In laboratory and animal models, the MIC molecules demonstrated strong and, above all, targeted immune activation against leukaemia – a promising step towards clinical application.