Mok, endowed professor of gynecologic oncology and reproductive medicine at MD Anderson, states, “MFAP5 promotes fibrosis in ovarian and pancreatic cancers, and fibrosis promotes progression, chemoresistance and reduces survival of people with these cancers. By blocking this secretory protein with an antibody, we can treat the tumor by targeting multiple cellular types—fibroblasts and blood vessels—in the tumor microenvironment.” Having demonstrated the feasibility of using their monoclonal antibody to target MFAP5, the researchers are in the process of designing and generating an anti-MFAP5 antibody that can be used as a treatment in humans. They aim to have it ready for efficacy and toxicity testing by the end of 2019 and begin a Phase I clinical trial in 2020. “The convergence of biological science, computational science and engineering has allowed us to achieve such translational discovery,” Wong said.