Lucas Sindlev, R&D and Strategy Manager at Dr Smood Group, shared about Anahid Jewett’s legacy in pancreatic cancer:
“Months before her groundbreaking research saw the light of day, renowned UCLA tumor immunologist Dr. Anahid Jewett, PhD, passed away unexpectedly. A pioneer in cancer immunotherapy, Dr. Jewett was internationally recognized, named by Stanford University among the top 2% of scientists globally for her decades of contributions to tumor immunology and cancer research.
Before her passing, Dr. Jewett told colleagues that the pre-clinical data from her latest study were the most significant of her 30-year career. It focused on one of the world’s most lethal diseases: pancreatic cancer – a silent killer with a dismal 5-year survival rate of just 13%.
She commented:
‘In our view, these results approach what could be called the ‘holy grail’ of cancer research. We observed an 80-90 percent reduction in tumor size and volume across two independent studies, with most of the remaining tissue consisting of immune cells rather than cancer cells.’
Her research, now peer-reviewed and published in the scientific journal Vaccines, details remarkable results in humanized mouse models implanted with pancreatic tumors. The modified dendritic cell therapy, derived from allogeneic stem cells and loaded with tumor antigens, retained tumor-inhibitory function and led to regression of primary and metastatic pancreatic tumors in humanized mouse models – a potential leap forward for a cancer with very few treatment options.
While Dr. Jewett will never see the impact of her last and perhaps most promising discovery, her legacy lives on – in the data, in the science, and in the hope it brings to patients and families still waiting for a lifeline.
Lunai Bioworks (LNAI) has recently secured a licensing LOI following the landmark breakthrough showing complete tumor regression in humanized cancer models.”
Title: Modified Hematopoietic Stem Cell-Derived Dendritic Cell Therapy Retained Tumor-Inhibitory Function and Led to Regression of Primary and Metastatic Pancreatic Tumors in Humanized Mouse Models
Authors: Jose D. Gonzalez, Saleemulla Mahammad, Senay Beraki, Ariel Rodriguez-Frandsen, Neha Sheik, Elango Kathirvel, Francois Binette, David Weinstein, Anahid Jewett, and Lu Chen.
You can read the Full Article in Vaccines.
More posts on Pancreatic Cancer on OncoDaily.