Can This Biotech Shed New Light on Cancer Immunotherapies?
Over the past decade, many immunotherapies have been investigated for the treatment of cancer, with limited success. Will Compugen (NASDAQ: CGEN) become yet another casualty in an endless uphill battle?
Compugen claims a key competitive advantage: proprietary algorithms it can use to detect specific sequences within protein receptors that regulate the immune system and inhibit their activity. Normally, these receptors prevent T-cells in the body from attacking healthy tissues. Cancer cells, however, are known to evade detection by the body's own immune system by posing as healthy cells through these receptors, a process known as peripheral tolerance. Hence, by blocking the pathways of cancerous cells disguising themselves as healthy cells, the immune system will be able to recognize them as pathogens and form an effective response.
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Source Fool.com