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$1.2 million awarded for cancer vaccine studies

21 September 2005

Monash and Melbourne University researchers have received $1.2million for a research project that could lead to the development of a cancer vaccine.

Associate Professor Mibel Aguilar.

Associate Professor Mibel Aguilar and Dr Patrick Perlmutter, from Monash, and Dr Tony Purcell from the University of Melbourne, received the funding from Circadian Technologies Ltd, in an agreement arranged by Monash Commercial.

The funding will help advance the researchers' work in developing a synthetic peptide (protein) that accurately mimics naturally occurring peptides in the body.

During infection or the transformation of cells into tumor cells, viral or tumor-specific peptides are presented on the surface of cells. T cells (white blood cells that help fight infection) are able to recognise these peptides and eradicate the dangerous cells.

In the past, immunologists have used synthetic peptides to stimulate immunity to viruses and cancers. However, many of these peptides have been unstable and have degraded in the blood and peripheral tissues.

Dr Aguilar, Dr Perlmutter and Dr Purcell have developed technology that stabilises synthetic peptides, increases their ability to reach the target area and improves the immune response.

The technology has been tested in mouse models and will soon be tested with peptides designed to target immune responses towards human melanoma cancer cells.

The two-year funding will be used for further testing and to develop a vaccine using the synthetic peptides.

The researchers said the vaccine could be applicable to a range of cancers including melanoma, breast, ovarian and bladder cancer and may have implications for chronic viral diseases including HIV and hepatitis.