Regio Zuid | Feasibility of In silico MHC-Association by Genomic Expression Analysis of peptides (iMAGE-App)

ENPICOM BV, an innovative bio-informatics company, delivers state-of-the-art Research as a Service software and cloud solutions to immunotherapy pioneers. Now ENPICOM wants to determine the feasibility of developing a software solution to identify promising molecular targets for cancer immunotherapy. This solution will enable immunotherapy development companies to create a shortlist of potential targets that have been screened for appropriate expression and off-target effects..The idea is to develop new bio-informatic workflows that identify immunotherapy targets, in particular by taking into account the variation in the human genome and gene regulation. By incorporating alternative protein processing, known polymorphisms in the human genome, as well as by identifying polymorphisms in individual patients, human genetic variability will be included into the workflow to obtain more reliable, more accurate and more personalized immunotherapy regimens. This technology will first be applied to develop an anti-cancer immunotherapy regimen based on the MAGE-A family of proteins..Existing technology does not incorporate human genetic variation into bioinformatic workflows. By incorporating this information, the volume and type of data to be processed will change dramatically, in particular for the proposed personalized exome sequencing approach. When the new platform technology is feasible, ENPICOM intends to develop this platform in collaboration with an immunotherapy developing company..The feasibility project explores the technical and economic feasibility of the intended R&D project and its deliverables. The main focus is on the technical feasibility of the new solution..ENPICOM is performing desk research and early experimental development..Topsectors involved: the project is exploring the feasibility of developing new software for analysing and identifying specific peptides, based on new insights to include human genetic variability into predicting potential off-target effects of cancer immunotherapy. This fits into the topsector LSH Life Sciences & Health, in the roadmap enabling technologies. This roadmap contains strategic agenda’s in Measurement and Detection Technology (objective maximise effect, minimise burden). More specifically, this fits into the regional priorities of boosting complex systems/technology in a cross-industry approach. The ENPICOM technology enables life sciences companies to accelerate their cell analysis and therapy development: a cross-over with the Topsector HTSM ICT agenda..The goal is to have a go/no-go decision for the next high risk and costly R&D stage.