Morphotek, FCCC enter into SRA

Morphotek Inc. recently entered a Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA) along with Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) that will lead to the expansion of its efforts to research how efficient immune-based therapies are in relation to the immunosuppressive effects that are caused by tumor shed antigens.

The partnership will use primary organoid cultures taken from various types of cancer. This will be done using enhanced analysis that was developed by research from the lab of Dr. Wafik El-Deiry, the Deputy Cancer Center Director, Translational Research Program, and co-Leader of the FCCC Molecular Therapeutics Program.

Researchers will look to gain knowledge of the biological pathways that suppress patients’ tumor immune responses.

"We are excited to enter into this collaboration with researchers at FCCC in this innovative field of applying primary human organoids to the study of tumor-mediated immune suppression," Morphotek CSO Luigi Grasso said. "We continue to expand our efforts to understand the mechanisms by which tumors evolve in order to evade immune surveillance, which may enable us to develop novel therapeutic agents and innovative clinical designs to overcome these mechanisms and aid patients with various cancer types."