A project aiming at the nano-monitoring of cancer immunotherapy efficiency through a graphene electrophoretic bioassay platform, GLEBioassay, is one of the ten selected in the 12th Joint Trasnational Call for funding of the EuroNanoMed platform. The consortium will be led by Prof. Arben Merkoçi.
The results of the EuroNanoMed-III Joint Transnational call 2021 “European Innovative Research & Technological Development Projects in Nanomedicine” have been recently published in the Newsletter of the EuroNanoMed platform. The aim of this funding opportunity, which has reached its 12th edition, is to support translational research projects that combine innovative approaches in the field of nanomedicine and to enable international collaboration between public and private research groups from academia, clinical/public health centres or industrial enterprises.
Among the 10 projects that won this call, which will be funded with a total investment of more than 8.4 million euros over three years, is GLEBioassay (Nano-Monitoring of Cancer Immunotherapy Efficiency: The Graphene Lateral Electrophoretic Bioassay platform). Coordinated by the ICN2 Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group, led by ICREA Prof. Arben Merkoçi, the consortium that will develop this project includes the Private Foundation for Research and Teaching Sant Joan de Déu (FSJD, Spain), the company Nehir Biyoteknoloji (Turkey) and the Palacký University Olomouc (Czech Republic).
About GLEBioassay
This project aims to develop a multiplexed point of care nanobiosensing platform to monitor the efficiency of naxitamab-based immunotherapy in neuroblastoma. Naxitamab, a humanized anti- GD2 monoclonal antibody, may cause some patients to develop human anti-human antibodies (HAHAs), thus provoking the deferment or suspension of the therapy. Conversely, this treatment induces in some patients a vaccine effect, when they start producing their own anti-GD2 antibodies. Currently, there is no standardized and accurate method to measure and track naxitamab, HAHAs and anti-GD2 in patients undergoing therapy.
GLEBioassay will bring an electrophoretical paper-based portable platform with electrochemical readout to monitor the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of naxitamab in real samples. In contrast to lateral capillarity flow systems with optical detection; in our approach the mobility is driven by electrophoresis enabling a continuous flow, separating its components and cleaning the detection pad.
Due to the versatility of the proposed platform, the outcome of the project can also be applied to different scenarios or other immunotherapies, where a fast and efficient point-of-care biosensor is needed.
About EuroNanoMed
EuroNanoMed is a platform for funding agencies and ministries established since 2008. National and Regional research funding programmes join together with the goal of creating and funding collaborative research and innovation projects that can convert research in nanotechnology into practical gains in medicine. EuroNanoMed supports multidisciplinary and translational research and innovation projects that cover: Regenerative medicine, Diagnostics and Targeted delivery systems.
EuroNanoMed III (2016-2021) is the new ERA-Net Cofund Action on Nanomedicine under Horizon 2020 that will build upon the achievements on its predecessors to support the European Nanomedicine research community.