Study of activated CIK armed with bispecific antibody for advanced liver cancer

Abstract

Background & Aim Primary liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. The 5-year relative survival rate of patients with liver cancer is very low. At present, cytokine-induced killer cell (CIK) therapy is a mature clinical treatment method in cell therapy. CIK cells have both anti-tumor activity of T lymphocytes and non-MHC restrictive killing of NK cells. Abnormal glycosylation of MUC1 (a member of mucin family) was highly expressed in 60% of primary hepatocellular carcinoma and 90% of cholangiocarcinoma, but not in normal tissues. Methods, Results & Conclusion In this study, a nanotechnology was used to conjugate bispecific antibodies of MUC1 and CD3 with CIK cells for immunotherapy of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (NTC 03146637). MUC1-positive patients with advanced primary liver cancer received bispecific antibody armed with CIK cell immunotherapy every 4 weeks for 16 weeks. Biochemical indicators, tumor size, cytokines such as interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein, and tumor markers such as alpha fetoprotein, carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199), CA125, CA724 were regularly detected. As a result, the subjects of biochemical indicators did not change significantly, no grade III adverse reactions, and the concentration of tumor markers were significantly decreased. According to RECIST 1.0, 67% of the patients had stable disease (SD) and 33% had disease progression (PD). Conclusion, bispecific antibody armed with CIK cell immunotherapy is safe and effective.