ImmunisBio Proves NK Immune Cell Therapy's Efficacy in Eliminating Cancer Stem Cells

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] Immunis Bio announced on the 25th that its next-generation NK immune cell therapy (MYJ1633) has demonstrated cytotoxic efficacy against cancer stem cells, which are identified as the cause of cancer metastasis and recurrence.

Cancer stem cells exist in very small amounts (0.1~2%) compared to differentiated cancer cells that make up most of the cancer tissue. They are undifferentiated cells capable of differentiating and proliferating into cancer cells or tissues, possessing self-renewal and multipotency. They are considered the cause of recurrence and metastasis after conventional surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

The existence of cancer stem cells was first proven in acute myeloid leukemia in the late 1990s. Since the 2000s, research in the cancer field has focused on them. Cancer stem cells share characteristics similar to normal stem cells. Just as normal stem cells can differentiate into all tissues, cancer stem cells have the ability to generate all cell types found in a specific cancer tissue.

Cancer stem cells are not easily eliminated and remain hidden, then differentiate into a large number of new cancer cells months or years after treatment ends. They are the cause of cancer recurrence and metastasis.

Immunis Bio’s ‘MYJ1633’ is an immune cell therapy that extracts NK, NKT, and cytotoxic T cells from a patient’s autologous peripheral blood, massively proliferates and activates them ex vivo, and reinfuses them into the patient’s body. MYJ1633 received marketing approval as a cell therapy from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s verification committee in 2018 and has been administered to various cancer patients including those with lung cancer, brain tumors, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer, showing positive results. The technology has been exported to Vietnam and Malaysia.

The lead researcher at Immunis Bio explained, "In a joint study conducted with the Bio Convergence Research Institute at Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary’s Hospital, ‘MYJ1633’ demonstrated excellent efficacy not only against existing cancer cells but also in inducing death of cancer stem cells."

He added, "In experiments, treatment of cancer stem cells derived from glioma, a type of malignant brain tumor with poor prognosis, with ‘MYJ1633’ resulted in nearly 100% cytotoxicity within just 12 hours."

Based on these research results, Immunis Bio is currently studying the efficacy and mechanism of action of MYJ1633 against cancer stem cells of other high-incidence cancers such as lung cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.

Kang Jung-hwa, CEO of Immunis Bio, stated, "We have demonstrated that MYJ1633, derived from human immune cells, can eliminate cancer stem cells that could not be removed by existing treatments," and added, "We expect this to significantly reduce cancer recurrence rates, increase survival rates, and dramatically improve patients’ quality of life."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.