CIQUS  joins forces with industry to lead research into new immunotherapy techniques to fight cancer

Photograph: Darko Stojanovic

The University de Santiago’s Singular Centre for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS), a member of the CIGUS Network, continues to work actively to research new immunotherapy strategies for the fight against cancer. The centre has joined forces with companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry through a wide range of projects, working in collaboration with different companies in the sector. One such alliance was set up in 2020 with the Business Technology Life Sciences Cluster (Bioga). The aim of this collaboration agreement is to connect research talent with the business fabric to develop new products and services and generate new skilled jobs.

In the latest call for proposals for public-private collaboration grants by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI), aimed at supporting experimental development projects in cooperation between companies and research organisations, CIQUS has obtained funding to continue advancing in its collaboration projects with private entities.

One such project is CAPN-IO, which includes the participation of several international teams and is  led by CiQUS researcher Eddy Sotelo. The pharmaceutical company Landsteiner Genmed heads this consortium, which also includes teams from the National Biotechnology Centre and the 12 de Octubre Hospital Research Institute. The research, which is currently in the preclinical studies phase, has shown that blocking adenosine a2b receptors can reactivate the immune system and restore its effectiveness in the fight against tumours. The results, published in 2022 in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, represent a major step forward in the advancement of immunotherapy techniques against cancer, an area in which CiQUS has been working intensively in recent years.

Along similar lines, the PREDICTEAM project is also worthy of mention. This project is centred on the development of new diagnostic methods and personalised medicine to combat cancer through immunotherapy. The biotech company Hawks Biosystems leads the consortium whose members also include Celtarys Research and researchers from the University of Navarre.