Trans-Pyrenean Network for Advanced Therapies in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
The Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona-IDIBAPS is participating in an international project that seeks to develop new immunotherapy strategies for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The THERAVLINFO research project aims to promote innovation in healthcare and biomedical research in the Catalonia-Occitania-Navarre region through collaboration between universities, research centers, hospitals, biotechnology companies, and other stakeholders in the POCTEFA region.
What are we looking for?
THERAVLINFO (EFA123/1) is an effort to advance the biomedical translation of knowledge and preclinical lymphoma models generated in the previous IMLINFO project (EFA 281/16), with the aim of improving the survival and quality of life of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The IMLINFO project successfully established a repository of lymphoma patient samples, developed a 3D culture platform that recapitulates the disease in vitro, and designed a workflow for screening antitumor drugs. As a result, new targets involved in evasion of the antitumor immune response and immunosuppression were identified, which show promising therapeutic potential that will be further investigated thanks to THERAVLINFO's cross-border cooperation.
What do we do?
THERAVLINFO will develop drugs against these new targets (antibodies, CAR-T cell therapy, and nanocapsules) and validate their therapeutic potential in preclinical in vitro models of multicellular 3D cultures and in vivo mouse models. The project's main objective is to drive innovation in the healthcare sector in Southern Europe by developing new advanced therapies in personalized medicine for NHL patients who do not respond to standard treatment, experience early relapse, or transform into aggressive lymphoma. The project includes the collaboration of experts in patient-derived lymphoma spheroid culture, animal models, multiparameter cytometry, confocal microscopy, omics technologies, and computational analysis. Furthermore, the project seeks to promote the training of young researchers who can integrate and rotate among cross-border partners, and to foster collaborations with biotechnology companies in the region (NUCAPS and ONA Therapeutics).
Funding
The project has ERDF funding of €993,303.67.
Total budget: €1,528,159.52
Timeline
The project will be developed over three years (2024-2026).
Cooperation
Collaborations will be generated between project partners to improve research.
Objectives
To strengthen cooperation between the different stakeholders in the region on both sides of the border in R&D&I.
Establish a stable collaboration network between universities, research centers, hospitals, and companies.
Develop new immunotherapy strategies against four non-Hodgkin lymphoma tumor targets, opening up new opportunities in the healthcare field.
Design new administration routes for immunotherapy treatments to improve their accessibility and clinical applicability.
Our participation
The Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona-IDIBAPS plays a key role in the European THERAVLINFO project, leading its scientific coordination and contributing its expertise in translational lymphoma research. Its participation focuses on the development of 3D human lymphoma models that allow laboratory testing of new immunotherapy strategies designed by the consortium. These models allow for advanced studies of how tumor cells respond to innovative treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and cell therapies such as dual CAR-T cells, designed to attack both lymphoma cells and their cellular environment. IDIBAPS, together with other expert centers, tests these therapies in lymphoma organoids and helps interpret their effects, laying the groundwork for subsequent studies in animal models. It also collaborates on the integrated analysis of clinical and molecular data to bring results closer to patient treatment. Furthermore, in collaboration with other consortium partners (University of Navarra), it is studying more accessible ways to administer these therapies, such as the use of nanoparticles that allow antibodies to be taken orally, thus opening up new possibilities for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Funding
The THERAVLINFO project (EFA123/1) is co-funded by the Interreg POCTEFA 2021-2027 program for three years.
POCTEFA: https://www.poctefa.eu/
THERAVLINFO: https://theravlinfo.eu/
