Immunotherapy and Vaccines for Infectious Diseases
The research groups involved in this effort includes researchers from both the Department of Clinical Sciences and from the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology.
Current Studies
- Immunotherapy for
prevention of canine and feline viral upper respiratory infections.
CIRM faculty are investigating novel immune stimulants to
induce non-specific protection from highly contagious respiratory diseases of
cats and dogs, including kennel cough in dogs and viral upper respiratory
syndrome in cats. The goal is to develop
new immunotherapies that can easily administered and induce rapid protection
for young animals or animals in shelters or day care settings.
Program faculty: Drs. Mike Lappin, Steven Dow, William Wheat,
Dan Regan
- Immunotherapy for
prevention of bovine respiratory disease complex.
CIRM faculty are investigating new types of
immune stimulants to induce non-specific protection from bovine respiratory
disease complex (BRDC), a complex multi-pathogen disease of cattle that are
stressed, typically after shipping.
Currently there are not vaccines available to prevent the disease
syndrome, given its multifactorial nature.
Therefore, the goal of the program is to use an immunotherapy spray
delivered to the nose of cattle shortly before shipping to non-specifically
prevent development of BRDC at the farm or feedlot. Studies are underway in the laboratory and in
healthy cattle to assess immune responses.
Program faculty: Drs. William Wheat, Steven Dow, and Julia
Herman
Immunotherapy And Vaccines For Cancer
Researchers
in the CIRM and Flint Animal Cancer Center are developing new immunotherapeutic
approaches to the treatment of cancer and prevention of infectious
diseases. Recent efforts have focused on
cancer vaccines for brain cancer and bone cancer, development of checkpoint
antibodies for general cancer immunotherapy, and use of “repurposed” drugs for
cancer immunotherapy.
Cancer Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy for bone cancer metastases
Investigators in the FACC and CIRM are
evaluating a new immunotherapy drug combination for treatment of metastatic
bone cancer, using two already approved drugs that target immune suppressive
monocytes. By keeping these white blood
cells from entering tumors, the anti-tumor immune response can be increased. Trials in dogs are currently underway evaluating
this new cancer approach. Contact Dr.
Kristen Weishaar (Kristen.Weishaar@colostate.edu)
for information on osteosarcoma trials.
Development of new checkpoint antibodies for cancer
immunotherapy
The laboratory is
currently developing new antibody therapies that target a checkpoint molecule
called OX40. Studies in mouse cancer
models indicate that treatment with OX40 can significantly control cancer
growth, without adverse effects. In
addition, our laboratory has worked with commercial firms to develop the first
canine PD-1 antibody, which is currently in clinical trials.
Cancer Vaccines
Brain cancer vaccine
The laboratory is evaluating a new type of
cancer vaccine targeting cancer stem cells, which has shown promising results
in mouse cancer models, and in dogs with malignant glioma, a deadly brain
cancer with no effective treatment options.
The vaccine is administered together with 2 drugs that also target the
immune suppressive tumor microenvironment.
Clinical trials are currently enrolling new patients in dogs with
gliomas.