Cancer gene therapy

Our group, integrated in the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra, focuses its research on the development of vectors based on self-replicating RNA (saRNA) derived from alphaviruses to express immunostimulatory molecules locally in tumors. These vectors have advantages such as high expression, induction of type I interferon and apoptosis, as well as a high degree of biosafety, since they do not propagate.

Our main strategy is based on using saRNA vectors to express cytokines and antibodies against immunological checkpoints locally in tumors in various formats, such as monoclonal antibodies, nanobodies or immunocytokines, to avoid the systemic toxicity associated with these molecules. We are also evaluating the use of these vectors as tumor vaccines alone or in combination with CAR-T cells. We are currently optimizing systems to administer these vectors as nucleic acids (RNA or DNA), using in the latter case electroporation techniques or lipid nanoparticles.