ALECSAT

ALECSAT, short for Autologous Lymphoid Effector Cells Specific Against Tumor cells, is an epigenetic cancer immunotherapy developed by the company CytoVac. It is aimed at prostate cancer, glioblastoma and potentially pancreatic cancer. The method draws a blood sample from the patient and activates it to generate several types of immune cells, including cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, natural killer cells and helper T-cells, which are then reinfused into the same patient to attack tumors through multiple pathways at once. The activation process chemically modifies tumor antigens through DNA demethylation, which is intended to let the immune system recognize a wider range of cancer cells. Research at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Tumour Cell Biology and other institutions reported successful melanoma eradication in animal models and increased frequencies of cancer-fighting T-cells in melanoma patients who received the adoptive cell transfer.