Potential new treatment for prostate cancer receives $5M funding boost

Potential new treatment for prostate cancer receives $5M funding boost

04 December 2023

Peter Mac Researcher Professor Phillip Darcy is part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional team of researchers that have been awarded a $5 million grant to develop highly tailored treatments for prostate cancer using next-generation CAR T-cell therapy.

The Synergy Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) will enable researchers to investigate the potential of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer* is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia and remains a leading cause of death worldwide. At present, there is no cure for advanced prostate cancer.**

NHMRC Synergy Grants support outstanding multidisciplinary teams of investigators to answer major questions that cannot be answered by a single investigator.

CAR T-cell therapy uses the body's own immune system T-cells to destroy cancer and while the treatment has been transformative for some blood cancers it currently is not effective for solid tumours. However, based on recent evidence published by members of the new Synergy team, there is potential for this treatment to be effective in prostate cancer and other solid tumours.

The Synergy Grant program will be led by Professor Gail Risbridger from Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) and Group Leader at Peter Mac, Professor Phillip Darcy from Peter Mac and Professor Paul Timpson from The Garvan Institute of Medical Research.

Professor Risbridger explained that the importance of the team's approach was the discovery that this therapy could be effective in attacking solid cancers when modulated with chemotherapy.

"This program has been long in the making, with a number of different strands of research coming together now," Professor Risbridger said.

"We are bringing together people with all the expertise we need, to get them closely aligned on this particular problem. We will be working with bioengineers, cancer biologists, immunologists and clinicians to bring fresh perspectives to the issues, develop a unified approach, and speed up the development of CAR T-cell treatment."

Professor Darcy explained that the project is split into two parts.

"In the first part, the team will use a range of animal models and human cell samples in the laboratory to describe the changes in cells that happen in the tumour microenvironment (TME) that make it easier for T-cells to enter tumours," he said.

"In the second part of the project, the team will use cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing methods to improve the production of CAR T-cells, which will help T-cells move to where they need to be in the body, stay alive, and work effectively to kill prostate cancer cells.

"We want our cells to drive to their intended destinations in the least amount of time and with the fewest accidents.

"Potentially, this project will enable us to develop highly tailored treatments for a variety of solid cancers, not just prostate. Our hope is that we may finally have a weapon in the solid cancer therapy armoury that can by-pass the barriers and get to the cancers," Professor Darcy said.

Synergy grant collaborators. L-R, top row: CIA Prof Gail Risbridger (Monash University), CIB Prof Phillip Darcy (Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre), CIC Prof Paul Timpson (The Garvan Institute of Medical Research); L-R bottom row: CID Prof Renea Taylor (Monash University), CIE Assoc Prof Daniela Loessner (Monash University), CIF Prof Ian Davis (Monash University)

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