OncoHost to Present Data on Predicting Host Response to Immunotherapy in Melanoma Patients at SITC 2020

OncoHost to Present Data on Predicting Host Response to Immunotherapy in Melanoma Patients at SITC 2020

Study Examines Plasma-Based Proteomic Profiling as a Clinically Insightful Tool for Oncologists to Identify New Targets in Overcoming Treatment Resistance

BINYAMINA, Israel, November 9, 2020 - OncoHost, a global leader in host response profiling for improved personalized cancer therapy, announced today that its abstract on the use of plasma-based proteomic profiling as a tool for predicting response to immunotherapy in melanoma patients was accepted for the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting. The presentation will take place on November 14 at 12:25 PM EST. The clinical study was conducted in collaboration with the University of Connecticut, Yale University’s Cancer Center and the Technion Institute of Technology.

The study examined a group of melanoma patients undergoing immunotherapy treatment, with the aim of characterizing the host response (i.e. the patient’s reaction) to this modality by using plasma proteomics profiling and bioinformatic analysis. Plasma samples were collected pre-treatment and in the early stages of treatment from the patients, with the intention of addressing three main questions: Will the patient respond? Why does the resistance occur? Can we minimize the resistance to therapy? The data was then analyzed to assess a proteomic (protein-based) signature that could predict the patient’s response to treatment and identify patient-specific potential targets for intervention.

“Our efforts in overcoming this major topic of concern in oncology – resistance to immunotherapy treatment - continues. Many studies have focused on tumor-related changes as the basis of resistance, however, in recent years, studies have indicated that in response to almost any type of anti-cancer therapy, the patient (the host) is a vital component,” says Ofer Sharon, MD, CEO of OncoHost. “Our aim is to generate a tool that is clinically insightful for oncologists and can identify patient-specifi­c targets, improving overall outcomes and reducing unnecessary side effects experienced by so many patients. Melanoma is just the beginning.”

The study, conducted on OncoHost’s machine learning-based Host Response Profiling platform, PROphet^®, determined that the mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy are not only related to the tumor itself, but are in fact associated with the host response to the cancer treatment. This study demonstrates the value of proteomic profiling, which provides a new layer of information, enabling early identification of non-responsiveness to cancer treatments and discovery of new targets to overcome treatment resistance. Using this computational analysis platform can help oncologists better predict personalized response for their melanoma patients and provide more precise treatment management.

The SITC’s 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting is taking place November 9-14.