Advanced Immune Therapeutic Strategies (AIT Strategies) is a privately held firm focusing on biomedical research and development with a special interest in immunotherapeutics.
AIT Strategies believes that the immune system in individuals has the capacity to detect and eliminate cancer; however, in most clinical presentations, this capacity has proven to be immobilized or is by-passed by factors induced by the malignancy.
Our goal is to facilitate development of novel cancer therapeutics and synergistic combinations that enhance specific immunity for the potential benefit of all those touched by cancer. It is becoming widely appreciated that redundancy of immune suppressive pathways require that combination approaches will be necessary to successfully mobilize and maintain the anti-tumor immunity in the broadest pool of cancer patients.
We work with multiple technology platforms designed to stimulate specific immunity including monoclonal antibodies, adjuvant and vaccine approaches. We collaborate with academic researchers, clinicians and industry seeking innovative solutions. Several main areas of focus are noted:
- Therapeutic IgE for Cancer. From the original development at Advanced Immune Therapeutics laboratories, this technology has been further developed at Quest PharmaTech in collaboration with multiple academic investigators. AIT Strategies continues to champion progress in this field in collaboration with OncoQuest, Inc. the oncology subsidiary of Quest PharmaTech and with OncoVent, Inc in a Joint Venture established with Shenzhen Hepalink. IgE serves not only as an indirect immunizer but can also mobilize additional anticancer mechanisms that are continuing to be elucidated in active ongoing research. This technology holds great promise as a third generation strategy for the treatment of cancer.
- Therapeutic IgG for Cancer. Monoclonal specific IgG of select isotypes can serve as an indirect immunizers to induce a cellular immunity to tumor antigen when appropriately dosed. AIT Strategies and collaborators have worked extensively studying this use of a monoclonal antibody technology as a cancer treatment approach. Product development is being advanced with OncoQuest, Inc. where monoclonal antibodies to CA125 (MUC16) and MUC-1 are at the clinical stage, with recent work focusing on ovarian and also pancreatic cancer, but with the promise of addressing other cancers that also express these tumor antigens. The introduction of checkpoint inhibition in cancer treatment has validated the importance of immune mechanisms in controlling cancer. AIT Strategies has established that schedule dependent combination of indirect immunizers with select chemotherapeutics and other immune modulators creates therapeutic windows allowing synergistic effect. Efforts focus on schedule dependent combination with chemotherapy in newly diagnosed disease and combination with checkpoint inhibitors, TLR agonists, and PARP inhibitors in advanced disease.
- Use of Selective Adjuvants. AIT Strategies is collaborating with industrial partners to identify promising and clinically practical agents that have the potential to meaningfully enhance therapeutic outcomes of cancer specific immunotherapy. Several publications in this area reflect this effort.
- Clinical Development Services. AIT Strategies has expertise in the pathobiology of human disease, as well as the preclinical and clinical development of novel therapeutics. We provide fee for service support to select clients in a variety of disciplines, notably medical and data monitoring, clinical safety, operational planning and regulatory strategy.