Immunotherapy has opened a new era in cancer treatment. Our Unit focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer immune escape for designing next-generation cancer immunotherapies. For example, we have developed a novel cancer immunotherapy strategy based on the secretion of bispecific T cell-engaging (TCE) antibodies by engineered human T (STAb-T) cells, which has been shown to be effective in solid and hematological malignancies and is currently in clinical trial. The Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Research Unit has several research areas of interest: 1) reactivation (rescue) of pre-existing tumor-specific endogenous T cell repertoires(e.g., tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes), 2) development of T cell redirecting strategies to improve the clinical efficacy and safety profile of tumor-reactive artificial T cells, and 3) development of multi-targeting approaches recognizing tumor-associated antigens (TAA) and/or tumor-specific antigens (TSA) at both extra- and intracellular locations. Moreover, our group has a strong interest in the generation of multivalent and multispecific antibody formats and the use of engineered mRNA-based gene delivery systems. Finally, our Unit has a firm commitment to introduce new immuno-oncology drugs and adoptive cell therapies in the clinic, to provide high-quality personalized treatments.

T +34 (+34) 917 328 000 (Ext )
lalvarezv@extcnio.es
Investigadores
- Belén Blanco
- Anais Jiménez
Becarios Post-doctorales
- Rodrigo Lázaro
- Ángel Ramírez
- Antonio Tapia
- Ivana Zagorac
Becarios Pre-Doctorales
- Francisco Javier Arroyo
- Laura Díez
- Carmen Domínguez
- Marina Gómez
- Laura Rubio
- Alejandro Segura
- Miriam Velasco
Técnicos de Laboratorio
- María de la Yedra Pacheco
Publicaciones
- (2022). Overcoming CAR-mediated CD19 downmodulation and leukemia relapse with T lymphocytes secreting anti-CD19 T cell engagers.. Cancer Immunol Res 10, 498-511. Publicación en otras instituciones.
- (2022). Efficient treatment of cortical T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with T lymphocytes secreting anti-CD1a T cell engagers.. J Immunother Cancer 10, e005333. Publicación CNIO.
- (2022). Synapse topology and downmodulation events are determinant for the functional outcome of anti-CD19 T cell-redirecting strategies.. Oncoimmunology 11, 2054106. Publicación en otras instituciones.
- (2022). Trispecific T-cell engagers for dual tumor-targeting of colorectal cancer. Oncoimmunology 11, 2034355. Publicación en otras instituciones.
- (2021). P32-specific CAR T cells with dual antitumor and antiangiogenic therapeutic potential in gliomas.. Nat Commun 12, 3615. Publicación en otras instituciones.
Open Access
- (2021). Bispecific Immunomodulatory Antibodies for Cancer Immunotherapy.. Clin Cancer Res 27, 5457-5464. Publicación en otras instituciones.
- (2021). An Fc-free EGFR-specific 4-1BB-agonistic Trimerbody Displays Broad Antitumor Activity in Humanized Murine Cancer Models without Toxicity. Clin Cancer Res 27, 3167-3177. Publicación CNIO.
- (2021). Synthetic TILs: Engineered Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes With Improved Therapeutic Potential.. Front Oncol 10, 593848. Publicación en otras instituciones.
- (2021). Programmable half-life and anti-tumour effects of bispecific T-cell engager-albumin fusions with tuned FcRn affinity. Commun Biol 4, 310. Publicación en otras instituciones.
- (2019). T Cell-Redirecting Strategies to ‘STAb’ Tumors: Beyond CARs and Bispecific Antibodies.. Trends Immunol 40, 243-257. Publicación en otras instituciones.
- (2019). The correlation between immune subtypes and consensus molecular subtypes in colorectal cancer identifies novel tumour microenvironment profiles, with prognostic and therapeutic implications.. Eur J Cancer 123, 118-129. Publicación CNIO.
- (2018). A tumor-targeted trimeric 4-1BB-agonistic antibody induces potent anti-tumor immunity without systemic toxicity. Nat Commun 9, 4809. Publicación CNIO.
Open Access
- (2018). Bispecific light T-cell engagers for gene-based immunotherapy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive malignancies. Cancer Immunol Immun 67, 1251-1260. Publicación en otras instituciones.