Intratumoural gene electrotransfer (IL-12 plasmid)
Injecting the gene for a powerful immune cytokine into a tumour and using an electric pulse to push it into the cells, so the cytokine is made locally rather than flooding the body.
Tavokinogene telseplasmid with electroporation produced systemic responses when combined with pembrolizumab in anti-PD-1-refractory melanoma, and Moffitt ran a neoadjuvant study with nivolumab (NCT04526730, completed). The sponsor's TNBC study (NCT03567720) has unknown status, a head and neck study was terminated, and the company's programmes stalled. The concept, local cytokine expression without systemic toxicity, remains attractive and is being pursued with other constructs.
How it works
Short electric pulses transiently permeabilise cell membranes, letting plasmid DNA enter tumour cells that then secrete IL-12 locally, recruiting and activating T cells.
- Avoids the systemic toxicity that killed intravenous IL-12
- Produces responses in uninjected lesions
- Cheap plasmid manufacturing
- Needs accessible lesions and a specialised applicator
- Sponsor programmes have stalled
- No randomised efficacy data
Latest papers
topQuery for this technology: (TITLE:"Intratumoural gene electrotransfer" OR ABSTRACT:"Intratumoural gene electrotransfer" OR TITLE:"IL-12 plasmid" OR ABSTRACT:"IL-12 plasmid") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Intratumoural gene electrotransfer (IL-12 plasmid), not a curated reading list.
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