Innovative macrophage therapies to transform treatment paradigm of solid tumors

Objective

The STEMPhage project at TU Dresden aims to develop a pioneering macrophage-based therapy for the treatment of solid tumors. Solid tumors account for 90% of all cancers and remain largely inaccessible to current cell therapies, as T cells, for example, often fail to effectively infiltrate them. Macrophages, by contrast, are innate immune cells that are naturally recruited into tumors, where they can not only destroy tumor cells directly but also activate other immune cells to mount a coordinated anti-tumor response. Until now, however, the clinical application of macrophages has been limited by their rapid loss of activity, inability to expand in culture, and susceptibility to immunosuppressive signals within the tumor microenvironment. Through decades of research led by Humboldt Professor Michael Sieweke, the STEMPhage team has overcome these barriers. By reactivating intrinsic self-renewal mechanisms, the team has generated so-called xMACx macrophages that can be robustly expanded in culture and retain potent anti-tumor activity in immunosuppressive tumor environments. The potential to produced large quantities of macrophages makes them available as an off-the-shelf therapy with stable and durable anti-tumor effects. This breakthrough has the potential to fundamentally transform cancer treatment. Within the project, GMP-compliant production of xMACx will be established, their mechanisms of action elucidated, and standardized efficacy assays developed. In parallel, the team will create the business structures and financial foundations for a spin-off to translate this technology towards clinical application and attract strategic investment. The EIC funding will secure STEMPhage’s technological lead and laying the groundwork for a radically new, innovative cancer therapy of major societal and economic impact.