A group of researchers led by Stephen Wong, PhD, from Houston Methodist Cancer Center and Samuel Mok, PhD, from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, identified a protein called MFAP5 which was elevated in the tumor microenvironment of both ovarian and pancreatic cancers. They also showed that MFAP5 plays a crucial role in promoting metastasis of these cancers, stimulating blood vessel formation within the tumor and enhancing cancer cells’ resistance to chemotherapy drugs. This made MFAP5 a promising therapeutic target for treating ovarian and pancreatic cancers.

To test if blocking MFAP5 produced a desirable anticancer effect, Wong and colleagues devised a new monoclonal antibody 130A that successfully blocked MFAP5 in preclinical models of ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Developed and patented by Wong and Mok, the antibody prevented the formation of new blood vessels within the tumor, thereby cutting off the support needed for tumor growth and proliferation. It also enhanced the bioavailability and effectiveness of other chemotherapy drugs and inhibited tumor growth as well as progression. Most importantly, treatment with the MFAP5-targeting antibody curbed tumor progression without producing noticeable toxic effects. Co-corresponding authors Wong and Mok published their findings in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.