The SPiKE Technology Platform

This research utilizes the immune system to fight cancer. It has evolved from targeting the T-cells, such as CAR-T therapy or bi-specific antibodies, to targeting the natural killer cells, or NK-cells. This may reduce the often dose-limiting side-effects, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and PNS/CNS symptoms, whilst achieving similar levels of clinical efficacy​, even after previous exposure to and relapse after T-cell directed therapies. Oncopeptides has developed a proprietary technology platform for Small Polypeptide based innate Killer Engagers (SPiKE).

The SPiKEs are designed to bind to both NK-cells and specific targets on various cancer cells. SPiKEs thereby induce a strong NK cell mediated killing of tumor cells that is strictly dependent on presence of the tumor associated antigen. The relatively small molecule facilitates tight interactions between NK cells and cancer cells, a beneficial distribution profile and the ability to tailor exposure to maintain immunological functionality by allowing transient periods of rest/non-activation. The functionality of the SPiKE platform is under preclinical validation for both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. In September 2022, the Company received a research grant from Sweden’s Innovation Agency, to develop pre-clinical proof of concept for a novel synthetic small polypeptide for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

The project has received a financial grant from the Eurostars 3-program, it is co-financed by the EU’s research and innovation program “Horizon Europe” and is driven by an international research consortium. This includes world-leading expertise from the department of Cancer Immunology at Oslo University Hospital, Norway, Pharmatest Services Ltd in Turku, Finland, and Oncopeptides, together with our collaborator the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH), where the technology originally stems from.