Previously Funded Research

Patricia Pereira, PhD

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Research Project:

Antibody click for lung cancer therapy

Summary:

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death. A promising drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) has shown benefit in some patients with lung cancer, but not all respond. Our research aims to change that and increase lung tumor response to T-DXd.

The Pereira Lab has developed a new way to deliver cancer drugs more precisely and powerfully by using an antibody click strategy, which by analogy is similar to snapping together two pieces of a puzzle inside the body. In our approach, two antibodies are designed to find and attach to lung cancer cells that express HER2 and another marker, such as EGFR or MET. When both antibodies reach the tumor, they “click” together, forming a stronger connection that improves drug delivery into the lung cancer cells. This method allows us to target even those tumors with very little HER2 (the protein that T-DXd binds to), which are usually harder to treat.

Our previous studies have already shown in early studies that this clickable drug combination greatly increases tumor targeting and extends survival in animal models of breast, pancreatic, and gastric cancer. In this project, we have optimized our antibody click approach to lung cancer treatment. We will use advanced imaging techniques to track how well the drugs reach the tumor and test whether this approach can improve treatment outcomes in models that closely mimic human lung cancer. This research can lead to safer, more effective therapies for lung cancer patients with few options and help guide future clinical trials using this innovative “clickable” drug delivery system.