BYU researchers develop promising tool against cancerous tumors

Researchers at Brigham Young University have developed a promising new weapon in the fight against cancer.

A new immunotechnology, called MOTO-CAR, genetically modifies macrophages – immune cells that can enter solid tumors – to recognize cancer markers, attack tumor cells and activate other cells to fight cancer.

According to a university press release, this technology could lead to new treatments for “hard-to-cure cancers,” including glioblastoma, triple negative breast cancer and pancreatic cancer.

If successful, this treatment would not only be effective, according to Kim O’Neill, lead researcher and professor of microbiology and molecular biology at BYU, but also much more cost-effective.

In an in vitro study, O’Neill said, researchers observed a 90% reduction in aggressive lung cancer cells within 24 hours. In another case, a single treatment regimen in mice reduced the size of tumors by up to 46%.

This job isn’t just professional for O’Neill. It’s also personal. Both of his parents died of cancer. These preclinical trials, he told the Salt Lake Tribune, give him hope for others with the disease.

“A lot of my friends have cancer,” O’Neill said. “I know there are a lot of people with cancer, and we’re doing everything we can to get this into the hands of the right people who will bring it to market.”

Although the research remains preclinical, researchers are anticipating what the treatment would look like.

The process would first require a biopsy of the tumor to identify the cancer type and biomarkers. A treatment team would then select a “pre-designed MOTO-CAR therapeutic.” After approval, a clinician would administer the treatment, probably through a simple infusion.

Expected effects of the infusion would include flu-like symptoms around the third and fourth day. Between days 14 and 28, the immune system would ideally be able to fight the tumor.

According to the release, additional work and funding is needed before human clinical trials can begin, and results have not yet been officially published to protect the patent process.

The BYU patents were issued and transferred via a licensing agreement to Thunder Biotech, a research partner company founded by O’Neill in 2016.

According to O’Neill, if all goes as planned and the Food and Drug Administration approves it, MOTO-CAR therapy could become a cancer treatment option in less than five years.

“We have encountered many obstacles and we have overcome them, and I am confident that we are on the right path,” O’Neill said. “Whether it’s us (discovering a cure) or someone else, I believe immunotherapy is the future for cancer patients.”

Note to readers • Dylan Eubank is a Report for America corps member covering faith for the Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps her continue to write stories.