Prevotella Merdae Strain for Checkpoint Inhibitor Immune Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cancer treatments, including chemical anticancer drugs and immunotherapies, face challenges such as drug resistance and variable efficacy due to cancer cell mutations, necessitating a novel approach to enhance immunity and increase anticancer effects.

Innovation Solution

A novel Prevotella merdae Immunoactis strain (accession number: KCTC 14922BP) is used to enhance immunity and increase the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors by promoting T cell proliferation, increasing IFN-γ secretion, and modulating the tumor microenvironment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chemical anticancer drugs are used, then cancer cell proliferation is suppressed, but normal cells are also affected causing side effects and decreased immunity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanticancer effectVSAvoidside effects and immunity decrease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium animalis, etc.) as intermediary agents that modulate the tumor microenvironment and enhance immune cell function. These probiotics act as mediators between the anticancer treatment and the host immune system, improving immune response while reducing the harmful effects of chemical drugs on normal cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effects of chemical anticancer drugs into beneficial outcomes by using probiotic bacteria to counteract the drug-induced immune suppression and intestinal dysfunction. The probiotics transform the damaged tumor microenvironment into a more favorable state for immune-mediated cancer cell destruction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If targeted anticancer drugs are used, then side effects are reduced, but cancer cells develop drug resistance due to rapid mutation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveside effectsVSAvoidcontinuous anticancer effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic approach by using probiotic bacteria that can adaptively modulate the tumor microenvironment and immune response. The probiotics dynamically interact with cancer cells and immune cells, continuously adjusting the immune landscape to maintain anticancer efficacy despite cancer cell mutations and drug resistance development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters of the tumor microenvironment through probiotic administration, altering pH, oxygen levels, and immune cell infiltration. These parameter changes create a hostile environment for cancer cells and enhance the effectiveness of targeted drugs, preventing resistance development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If immune checkpoint inhibitors are used, then immune cell function is activated to suppress cancer cell proliferation, but the treatment does not exhibit the same effect in all patients

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmune activation effectVSAvoidpatient response variability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces probiotic bacteria as intermediary agents that prepare and optimize the tumor microenvironment before and during immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. The probiotics act as mediators that enhance the penetration and effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitors by modifying the immune landscape and reducing physical barriers in the tumor microenvironment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies probiotic bacteria as a preliminary treatment to condition the tumor microenvironment and prime the immune system before administering immune checkpoint inhibitors. This preliminary action enhances the responsiveness of immune cells to checkpoint blockade, increasing the likelihood of treatment success across different patient populations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4685226A1Novel prevotella merdae immunoactis strain and use thereof
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 THE ASAN FOUND
  • EP4685226A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4685226A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4685226A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a novel Prevotella merdae Immunoactis strain, use thereof, and the like. The inventors of the present invention have confirmed that the novel Prevotella merdae Immunoactis strain (accession number: KCTC 14922BP) increases the proliferation of T cells, increases IFN-γ secretion from T cells, increases the expression or activity level of IFN-γ or Cxcl9, reduces the expression or activity level of Ccl22, and enhances the anticancer efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Therefore, the novel Prevotella merdae Immunoactis strain or a culture broth thereof, according to the present invention, is expected to be effectively used for enhancing immunity and increasing the anticancer effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors.