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Applications of heat shock protein technologybasics | in-depth information | how they work: animation | applications | preclinical studies | references Activating immune response with heat shock proteinsCancerOne application of heat shock protein (HSP) technology entails purifying HSPs from cells that express antigens, which are recognized by the immune system to specifically activate an immune response against those antigens. This is how Antigenics manufactures its leading investigational cancer product Oncophage (vitespen; formerly HSPPC-96). Oncophage consists of HSPs complexed with the tumor’s antigenic peptides — an approach that has been widely validated in animal studies and is undergoing testing in human cancer patients in clinical trials.Infectious DiseasesIn addition to applying HSP technology in the fight against cancer, HSPs can be similarly applied in the fight against infectious diseases. HSPs can be purified from infected cells that are expressing viral or bacterial antigens to develop treatments for infectious diseases. The utility of this approach has been demonstrated in several systems, including hepatitis, herpes and tuberculosis.Another strategy to activate cellular immunity with HSPs is to complex the HSP with defined antigens that are manufactured synthetically. Antigenics’ experimental genital herpes vaccine AG-707, currently in Phase 1 clinical trials, is one example of this type of product. It consists of an HSP complexed with synthetically produced antigens from herpes simplex virus type 2, the strain responsible for most cases of genital herpes. Animal studies have shown the feasibility of this approach in several infectious disease systems, including influenza, simian virus 40, vesicular stomatitis virus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. |
