AFR Winner

Employees: 30-99

We invented genetic methods to create nano-sized, non-living cells (EDVs; EnGeneIC Dream Vector) from bacteria, methods to load them with cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs, target them with antibodies to specific proteins on cancer cell surface and methods to manufacture EDV therapeutics. When a trillion EDVs, are injected into the patient’s blood, we discovered that they circulate in the blood, attach to the tumour surface via their targeting antibody and are swallowed by the cancer cell like a Trojan Horse, releasing their toxic payload. Because the EDVs are tumor targeted, they do not attach to normal cells, resulting in little toxicity. Being bacterially derived, they wake up the patient’s immune system. In our previous trials, EDV-packaged with current chemotherapies, patients showed increased overall survival but tumours did not disappear.

We discovered that end-stage cancer patient’s tumours are completely resistant to current anti-cancer drugs. We also discovered that there was an immune stimulating molecule that could educate immune system cells to recognize and kill tumour cells. Combining the two, EDVs carrying super-cytotoxic drugs to overcome drug resistance and EDVs carrying a unique molecule to make immune system cells recognize and kill tumour cells results in dramatic anti-tumour efficacy in end-stage cancer patients.