MTAP Expression Testing for STING Agonist Cancer Patient Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The suitability of STING agonists for cancer treatment is unclear, necessitating a method to identify patients who are suitable for this therapy.

Innovation Solution

Detecting the expression level of S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) in cancer patients using specific probes, predicting high susceptibility to STING agonists for those with high MTAP expression and administering the treatment accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If STING agonists are administered to cancer patients, then interferon production is stimulated and anti-tumor effect is enhanced, but it is unclear which patients are suitable for this therapy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapeutic efficacyVSAvoidpatient suitability information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by detecting MTAP expression levels in tumor tissues before administering STING agonists. This pre-treatment detection identifies which patients are likely to respond to STING agonist therapy, allowing clinicians to select appropriate candidates in advance and avoid ineffective treatments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If MTAP expression is detected to predict STING agonist susceptibility, then patient selection accuracy is improved, but additional detection procedures are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient susceptibility prediction accuracyVSAvoiddetection procedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses MTAP expression level as an intermediary biomarker to predict patient susceptibility to STING agonists. Instead of directly measuring complex immunological responses, the detection of MTAP expression serves as a simplified intermediary indicator that correlates with treatment response, making patient selection more accurate without requiring complex diagnostic procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

High MTAP expression correlates with increased susceptibility to STING agonists, effectively stimulating interferon β production and reducing tumor size, while low MTAP expression inhibits STING agonist efficacy.

Implementation Method 1

detecting an expression level of S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) in an at least one sample from the cancer patient by using at least one specific probe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHybridization:

Data Source

PatentEP4092138B1A method and a kit for predicting the susceptibility to stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists in a cancer patient
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 CHINA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY(TW)
  • EP4092138B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4092138B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1E
  • EP4092138B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C

AI summary

A method for predicting susceptibility to stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists of a cancer patient is provided, comprising (1) detecting an expression level of S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) in an at least one sample from the cancer patient by using at least one specific probe; and (2) if the at least one sample from the cancer patient shows high-expression level of MTAP, then predicting that the cancer patient has high-susceptibility to STING agonists; otherwise the cancer patient is predicted to be non-susceptibility or low-susceptibility to STING agonists.