The PITÁGORAS project establishes a state-of-the-art scientific platform for the development of personalized cancer immunotherapies
The scientific, technological and industrial consortium formed by the research centers Cima Universidad de Navarra and Navarrabiomed, the hospital complexes Clínica Universidad de Navarra and Hospital Universitario de Navarra, SINAI agents such as Nasertic and Aditech, and leading Navarre-based companies such as 3P Biovian and Neuraraptic AI has enabled the identification of tumor-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) for the design of tailored cellular therapies, thanks to the use of disruptive single-cell sequencing technologies and Artificial Intelligence tools. This project has been funded by the Department of Industry and of Business Ecological and Digital Transition with a grant of €1.6 million.
"Our main objective with the PITÁGORAS project has always been to shorten the distance between the laboratory and the patient's bedside. Being able to identify tumor-specific receptors through Artificial Intelligence and produce them under clinical-grade standards in Navarre means that we are one step closer to offering tailored, safer and more targeted therapies for patients who currently have no effective treatment alternatives," highlighted Sandra Hervás, researcher at Cima and coordinator of PITÁGORAS.
Among the most significant achievements is the extensive structural and biophysical characterization of one of the most promising TCR candidates, as well as the establishment of its production protocols under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, formally laying the groundwork for future clinical trials in humans.
The next step will be to validate these findings in new patient cohorts, refine Artificial Intelligence algorithms to maximize accuracy in the identification of tumor-specific TCRs, and optimize the most promising candidates through the design of new cell-free therapeutic formats aimed at making immunotherapy more accessible and easier to implement in real-world clinical practice.
Personalized medicine and advanced therapies
Projects under the GEMA challenge focus research and technological development on the field of personalized medicine and advanced therapies. Through grant calls for these strategic projects, the Government of Navarre promotes advances in personalized medicine based on the analysis of our DNA. This approach opens up new pathways that will make it possible to cure diseases that currently have no effective treatment, generate savings for healthcare systems, bring profound changes to the pharmaceutical sector through the introduction of new medical technologies, and foster the development of new companies and industries.
Source: navarra.es
