KOCHI: A team of researchers from the Department of Biotechnology at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) has been granted a patent for a significant innovation in the field of cancer immunotherapy.
The team, comprising Dr Anusha Ashokan, former DST Inspire faculty, Meera Menon, senior research fellow, and Anjana Unnikrishnan, former project trainee, developed a novel adjuvant formulation based on aluminium-incorporated polymer nanoparticles.
The adjuvant, designed to enhance the efficacy of cancer vaccines, has been demonstrated to reduce tumour growth and improve anti-tumour immune response in mouse cancer model (melanoma). By improving the efficacy of cancer vaccines, it could offer a safer and more effective alternative to traditional cancer treatments.
The patent was facilitated by the IPR facilitation cell at Inter University Centre for IPR Studies (IUCIPRS), Cusat.