In vitro study of the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) showed personalized T cell immunotherapy initiated a significant immune response against target cancer cells.
OLATHE, Kan., August 10, 2022 — ELIAS Animal Health recently presented new mechanism of action data for the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) at the 2022 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum.
ECI is an adoptive cell therapy that stimulates a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancers. ECI uses a personalized vaccine made from a patient’s own cancer cells to “prime” the immune cells to recognize the cancer. These primed immune cells—which are collected from the patient through a procedure called apheresis—are activated and expanded ex vivo for reinfusion into the patient, where they travel to the cancer cells and attack them.
In vitro study demonstrates how vaccine-primed T cells mount an immune response against cancer cells
The mechanism of action for ECI has been demonstrated in an in vitro study using cancer cells and T cells collected from pet dogs being treated with ECI for osteosarcoma, a deadly form of bone cancer. In the presence of target cancer cells, activated T cells from vaccinated dogs demonstrated cytotoxic activity, meaning the T cells acted in such a way to kill cancer cells.
Live cell imaging: Activated T cells (green) migrating to and clustering around host cancer cells (red). Antigen-specific T cells generate immunostimulatory cytokines and demonstrate cytotoxic activity toward the cancer cells.
Results of ECI clinical trial found several long-term cancer survivors
Results from a previously reported clinical trial evaluating ECI in pet dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma were impressive, with several long-term survivors.
A second ECI trial completed enrollment early 2022, with over 100 pet dogs enrolled at 10 sites across the United States. Results from that study are expected in the first half of 2023.
About ELIAS Animal Health
ELIAS Animal Health is a medical biotechnology company advancing novel targeted T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of canine cancers. The ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy is available to veterinarians commercially under 9 CFR 103.3 as an experimental autologous prescription product for the treatment of canine osteosarcoma. The company’s novel therapeutic approach offers the prospect of improved clinical outcomes and the potential for fundamentally changing the way cancer is treated. Learn more at www.eliasanimalhealth.com.