Chasing the clouds

Cancer’s number one enemy is our immune system, whose mission is to detect and eliminate cells that are functioning abnormally. But insidiously, cancer develops defensive strategies over time that allow it to escape this natural surveillance.

In ovarian, colorectal and pancreatic cancers, tumour cells produce large quantities of a protein called TSP-1. This protein accumulates around the tumour and forms a kind of protective cloud, which disrupts the immune system’s recognition of cancer cells and makes it less effective.

At Apmonia Therapeutics, Dr Albin Jeanne and his team have developed TAX2, an innovative immunotherapy treatment that targets the TSP-1 protein in order to ‘disperse the clouds’. By neutralising this barrier, TAX2 enables the immune system to better identify cancer cells and contribute to their elimination.

TAX2 has demonstrated its potential in preclinical trials and will enter clinical trials in 2026 to be evaluated in the first patients. This stage will enable the identification of tolerance thresholds and appropriate dosages and measure the treatment’s efficacy in humans.

================

Other products are also in development, particularly those targeting triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease.

In this case, the product targets another key protein, cathepsin-D, which is known to be overexpressed in several cancers. When it interacts with its receptor, this protein promotes the spread of tumour cells and tumour growth.

This reinforced tumour environment promotes tumour growth, migration and survival, while limiting the effectiveness of immune defences and certain treatments.

Help us beat cancer

Make a donation