"The functional plasticity of macrophages allows an adaptative response to environmental signals."

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WE DEVELOP MODULATORS OF MACROPHAGES’ POLARIZATION

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The identification of rational approaches based on molecular understanding of Radio-Onco-Immunology should help to better select new combinatorial therapeutic strategies to fight against cancer.

 

Understanding « tumor-host » interactions is crucial for the development of novel immuno-oncology therapeutic approaches:

• Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are key components of the cancer microenvironment.

• The functional plasticity of macrophages allows an adaptive response to environmental signals.

• TAMs infiltration is associated with treatment resistance and poor clinical outcomes in the majority of cancers.

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Therefore reprogramming of TAMs from anti-inflammatory to the pro-inflammatory phenotype is proposed to improve effectiveness of conventional anti-cancer treatments and immunotherapies.

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Distinct transcriptional programs can be induced to shape macrophage functional phenotypes.

 

Findimmune researchers have characterized a novel macrophage immune checkpoint and signalling pathway that dictates pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory phenotypes of macrophages.

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Findimmune initiated drug screenings to identify modulators of this novel immune checkpoint and select candidates for macrophage reprogramming to favor:

• A pro-inflammatory phenotype in the context of cancer treatment

• An anti-inflammatory phenotype for the treatment of immune-related diseases, with one candidate F2001 to fight cytokine storm of acute respiratory distress syndrome.