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Enara Bio embarks on a research collaboration with George Washington University to deepen understanding of Dark Antigen® biology and expression
Enara Bio embarks on a research collaboration with George Washington University to deepen understanding of Dark Antigen® biology and expression
27 February 2025
Enara Bio has announced a research collaboration with the George Washington University on Dark Antigen® biology and expression. One goal of the collaboration is to identify drugs that can further enhance the expression of Dark Antigens, therefore priming tumours for maximal clinical response to Dark Antigen-targeting immunotherapies.
The collaboration will also study the underlying function of certain Dark Antigens in cancer biology. The research will be conducted in the laboratory of Katherine Chiappinelli, PhD, Associate Professor at the George Washington University Cancer Centre.
Sophie Papa, Chief Medical Officer at Enara Bio, said:
“We are excited to be collaborating with the Chiappinelli lab, which has world-leading expertise in cancer epigenetics, transposable element regulation, and genomic dark matter. At Enara, we are pioneering the discovery and validation of Dark Antigen targets for cancer immunotherapies. We are also committed to parallel discovery science to drive deeper understanding of the fundamental biology and expression of Dark Antigens.
“As we advance our pipeline of Dark Antigen-targeting immunotherapies, this collaboration with the Chiappinelli lab may unlock biological insights into Dark Antigen expression that will enable us to identify rational drug combinations that maximise clinical benefit for cancer patients.”
Katherine Chiappinelli, Associate Professor at the George Washington University Cancer Center, said:
“I'm delighted with the Enara Bio collaboration, which aims to deepen our understanding of Dark Antigens. These proteins are encoded by genomic regions that are typically silent in normal tissues but become active in certain cancers, making them potential targets for immunotherapy. It's very exciting to be conducting research on this unexplored part of the genome.”
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