Metalloimmunotherapy: Combination of cisplatin and STING agonist into one molecule shows promise in boosting cancer immune response

Traditionally, therapies combining DNA-damaging agents and STING agonists have shown potential in treating cancer by enhancing immune response and reshaping the tumor microenvironment. However, until now, creating a single molecular entity housing both agents remained elusive.

Enter the game-changer—two Pt-MSA-2 conjugates (I and II). These ingenious compounds bring together the DNA-damaging power of cisplatin and the immune-activating strength of STING agonist MSA-2. Excitingly, these conjugates exhibit remarkable potential as versatile small-molecule drugs specifically targeting pancreatic cancer.

Detailed studies uncovered that conjugate I not only elevated the expression of innate immunity and metabolism-related transcripts in cancer cells but also demonstrated a distinct profile compared to cisplatin and MSA-2. Exploring the tumor microenvironment revealed that conjugate I could boost the infiltration of natural killer (NK) cells into tumors and trigger the activation of T cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells (DCs) within tumor tissues.

This groundbreaking finding suggests that conjugate I, born from the fusion of a Pt chemotherapeutic drug and a STING agonist, stands as a promising and potent candidate for anticancer drug development. This opens up exciting new avenues for metalloimmunotherapy, marking a significant stride in the ongoing battle against cancers.

See the article:

Combining cisplatin and a STING agonist into one molecule for metalloimmunotherapy of cancer

https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae020