Focus
Saronic Biotechnology intends to introduce the first effective adjuvant therapy for patients with liver cancer.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth leading cancer and third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide 1,2 . The current mainstays of effective therapy for patients with early disease are surgical resection and liver transplantation. However, initial diagnosis of HCC is often made when the cancer is at an advanced stage, and many patients are never eligible for treatment with curative intent.
Even among patients diagnosed with early oncologic (Milan) criteria and thus eligible for liver transplantation or surgical resection with expectation for cure, high rates of post-operative cancer recurrence and progression to advanced disease remain a difficult problem. Saronic Biotechnology, Inc. hopes to offer patients a therapeutic option to prevent cancer recurrence in the adjuvant (post-surgical) setting.
HCC is the only cancer listed among the top 5 cancer-related deaths in the United States without effective adjuvant (post-surgical) therapy 3.
Saronic Biotechnology intends to introduce the first effective adjuvant therapy for patients with liver cancer.
1 de Lope CR et al. Management of HCC. J Hepatol. 2012; 56 Suppl 1: S75-87.
2 Arzumanyan A et al. Pathogenic mechanisms in HBV-and HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Rev Cancer. February 2013; 13 (2): 123-35.
3 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2015.
SBI1997: Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy
Saronic’s dedicated research team developed SBI1997, a dendritic cell immunotherapy which demonstrates unprecedented potential to eradicate HCC cells in a preclinical model. Dendritic cells are antigen-presenting cells which prime the body’s T cells to identify and destroy diseased cells, such as rapidly replicating cancer cells. A personalized immunotherapeutic, SBI1997 makes use of the innate protective activity of dendritic cells. By loading dendritic cells with autologous tumor lysate, culturing according to Saronic’s unique manufacturing process, and re-infusing cells into the patient, SBI1997 may be able to prime the body to fight off the re-emergence of tumor cells and prevent cancer recurrence after surgery.