< At-a-Glance Summaries
Date of Publication:
6th March 2025
Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins made by the immune system that attach to foreign bodies, like bacteria, viruses or parasites, identifying them for destruction by immune cells. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is a type of antibody associated with allergic reactions, and it has the potential to deliver a powerful immune response at much lower doses than existing cancer immunotherapy treatments that use other antibody types.
MOv18 IgE is a new type of antibody that activates the immune system and targets a protein called Folate Receptor alpha (FRα) on cancer cells. In a recently completed early clinical trial, 24 patients with advanced gynaecological, including ovarian, cancer were treated with MOv18 IgE with promising results. Although treatment was overall well tolerated, a majority of patients (65.2%) developed hives which resolved within 24h with medications. In this study, researchers wanted to understand if this was due to an allergic reaction to the drug.
They investigated if the antibody reacted with the skin and analysed skin and blood samples from a patient who experienced hives to look for any changes in immune cells or any other signs of an allergic reaction.
The researchers found that patients who received higher doses of the MOv18 IgE antibody were more likely to develop hives. They also found that the antibody did not react with the skin. The tests on skin and blood samples did not reveal any signs of an allergic reaction.
This study concluded that the hives were unlikely to have been caused by the antibody attaching directly to the skin, or by allergy to the drug. Although further investigation is needed to understand what is causing these hives, the research supports the idea that IgE antibodies could be a valuable addition to the arsenal of anti-cancer therapeutics.
This work highlights the importance of evaluating patient immunity to inform and support the favourable safety profile of IgE immunotherapy and the field of AllergoOncology. This study is testament to our brilliant experts in different medical and scientific specialties coming together in collaboration across immunology, oncology, dermatology, proteomics and bioinformatics. It is evident from this research that dermatology, a very diverse field, is relevant for so many other disciplines and has the power to inform and transform patient care within and beyond dermatological diseases.
You can listen to one of the researchers, Jitesh Chauhan, talk through the study on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjLtowDELWQ
The full paper is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1111/all.16514
Authors:
Stavraka C, Chauhan J, Crescioli S, et al.
Journal:
Allergy
Link:
< At-a-Glance Summaries