A New Approach to Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance
Newly granted patent: U.S. Patent No. 12,268,674 B2, “Mi-2β Inhibitor as an Immunotherapy Agent” What’s the problem? Immune checkpoint therapies, such as anti-PD-1 antibodies (e.g. Keytruda, Opdivo), have transformed cancer treatment. Yet many patients either don’t respond at all or eventually develop resistance. This limits their long-term effectiveness, leaving a major gap in oncology care. What does this technology do? This patent covers novel small-molecule inhibitors that block the ATPase pocket of Mi-2β (CHD4), a chromatin remodeling protein identified as a key driver of PD-1 resistance. One lead compound, Z36-MP5, restores responsiveness to PD-1 therapy by: By directly targeting tumor-intrinsic resistance mechanisms, Mi-2β inhibitors open the door to a first-in-class therapeutic strategy to make immunotherapy work for more patients.
