02500: Immune Targeting of the V600E B-Raf Neoantigen in Canine Urothelial Carcinoma

Grant Status: Closed

Grant Amount: $183,146
Nicola J Mason, BVetMed, PhD; University of Pennsylvania
February 1, 2018 - January 31, 2021

Sponsor(s): American Shetland Sheepdog Association, Nespola Charitable Foundation, Scottish Terrier Club of America Health Trust Fund

Breed(s): -All Dogs
Research Program Area: Oncology
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One Health: Yes

Abstract

Bladder cancer or urothelial carcinoma (UC) affects approximately 40,000 dogs per year in the US with specific breeds including Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, Shetland Sheepdogs, Beagles, and Parson Russell Terriers being over-represented. Affected dogs usually display lower urinary tract clinical signs including bloody urine, frequent urination, difficulty and pain on urinating, and urinary outflow tract obstructions. Standard of care consists of anti-inflammatory drugs either alone or in combination with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. While these treatments can lead to stable disease for 6-12 months, they rarely lead to a cure, and most dogs eventually succumb to their disease. In human medicine, urinary bladder tumors have been shown to exhibit a high gene mutational burden which directly correlates with a favorable response to immune therapies. Canine UC exhibits a similar mutational load suggesting that the disease in dogs may also be immune responsive. In this study, the investigators will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel targeted, immune therapy that aims to promote a powerful immune response against a specific gene mutation (V600E B-Raf) recently identified in up to 87% of dogs with UC. The investigators hypothesize that vaccine-induced anti-tumor immune responses will lead to tumor regression and that such favorable responses will correlate with the baseline mutational burden of the tumor. The investigators will use standard immunological methods and advanced genetic sequencing technology to study systemic and intra-tumoral immune responses to identify biomarkers that may predict immunological and clinical response in dogs.

Collaborative grant between the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Publication(s)

None at this time.

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