# Project 2: Redirecting pre-existing anti-viral immunity to HNSCCs with APECs

> **NIH NIH P01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $477,775

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY 
Summary 
Head and neck cancer accounts for about 4% of all cancers in the United States with an estimated 64,690 people 
(47,650 men and 17,040 women) new cases this year. Recently immunotherapy, in the form of immune 
checkpoint blockade (ICB), is proving to be effective at restoring T cell mediated immune responses that can 
lead to marked and sustained clinical responses, but only in some patients with cancer – particularly head and 
neck cancers. Patients respond unpredictably to immunotherapy partly owing to heterogeneity of the immune 
composition but mainly due to variation in the number of mutations, with the tumor mutational burden (TMB) 
strongly correlating with the likelihood of response. There is now overwhelming evidence that mutation-derived 
neoantigens are targeted by T-cells in tumor control but unfortunately the majority (>80%) of patients with head 
and neck cancer lack sufficient neoantigens to respond to ICB. 
A compounding rate limiting factor is the low frequency of tumor-specific immunity which is difficult to detect even 
in ICB responding patients. In contrast we have found patients with HNSCC have extremely high levels of 
immunity against persistent viruses which can be over 50% of CD8+ T-cells. Yet this immunity is unable to 
participate in targeting cancer cells due to the exquisite specificity of the T-cell receptor (TCR). 
Currently, there are no mechanisms to alter or increase antigens in cancer. We hypothesize that by selective 
delivery of highly immunogenic peptide antigens, we can reprogram tumor cells to strongly engage with 
pre-existing cytotoxic T-cells. 
In a recent advance from our laboratory, we have been able to selectively reprogram tumor antigenicity through 
the release of MHC class-I restricted peptide antigens, delivered using antibodies. We have developed antibody 
peptide-epitope conjugates (APECs) can selectively deliver peptides to the cell surface that then passively 
surface-load into empty MHC class-I molecules without becoming internalized. Based on preliminary results, we 
propose to develop a biotherapeutic that is able to modulate the antigens displayed on HNSCC, to match tumor 
antigenicity with preexisting CTL repertoire. 
With support through this P01 grant, we aim to develop and test a new immunotherapeutic approach for treating 
TMB low head and neck cancer. 
The specific aims of the study are:- (1) map anti-viral immunity in patients with HNSCC and then design APECs 
that efficiently and selectively reprogram MHC class-I molecules to present leading viral antigens; (2) Understand 
the in vivo constraints of antigenic reprogramming and test synergy with ICB and epigenetic modulation via 
5'azacytidine to redirect human anti-viral immunity against human HNSCC in vivo.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10690602
- **Project number:** 7P01CA240239-05
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Thorsten Roman Mempel
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $477,775
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2019-09-19 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10690602

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10690602, Project 2: Redirecting pre-existing anti-viral immunity to HNSCCs with APECs (7P01CA240239-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10690602. Licensed CC0.

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