London, UK-based Immodulon has teamed up with Lisbon, Portugal-based non-profit organisation the Champalimaud Foundation to research and examine the potential use of the experimental treatment IMM-101 in combination with other therapies in 'difficult to treat' cancers.

The collaboration will investigate the treatment's effect on advanced cancers, with a particular focus on pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma and sarcoma.

According to Immodulon, IMM-101 may help to provide immune cells with an ‘a(chǎn)larm’ signal that activates and stimulates them to multiply.

The therapy may also help immune cells to recognise cancer cells and eradicate them.

Immodulon hopes that IMM-101 could correct several immune mechanisms that have failed in patients with cancer and lead to the activation of immune cells that specifically target cancer cells, correct immune exhaustion and increase ‘fitness’ in immune cells in order to fight against cancer more effectively.

“We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with the Champalimaud Foundation. There is a clear unmet medical need for effective treatments against these devastating cancers," said Dr. Jaap Kampinga, Chief Executive Officer of Immodulon.

"Despite the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors, pancreatic cancer and sarcomas remain exceedingly challenging to treat, and novel combination treatments will be required to make progress in these cancers.

“The Champalimaud Foundation, as a centre of excellence, is well suited to researching such treatment regimens and to carry out these clinical studies. We are proud that the Champalimaud Foundation has selected IMM-101 as a backbone immunotherapy to develop novel personalised treatments, and we look forward to working further with this fantastic organisation,” he added.

Clinical trials of IMM-101 are expected to begin as soon as the second half of 2020.