alpha-lactalbumin

Alpha-lactalbumin is a protein that is the central component of two distinct investigational cancer therapies. Most prominently, it serves as the target antigen for a vaccine co-developed by Cleveland Clinic and Anixa Biosciences for the prevention and treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and other breast cancers. [4, 15] The vaccine is designed to stimulate a T-cell-mediated immune response against cancer cells that aberrantly express alpha-lactalbumin, a protein normally only produced in lactating breast tissue and thus considered a 'retired' protein in other contexts. [4, 15] A Phase 1 trial (NCT04674306) has been completed, demonstrating safety and immunogenicity, and a Phase 2 trial is planned. [1, 3] Additionally, alpha-lactalbumin, when complexed with oleic acid, forms a tumoricidal protein-lipid complex known as HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumor Cells). [8] HAMLET has been shown to induce apoptosis in various tumor cells while sparing healthy cells. [8, 10] An engineered version, Alpha1H, has undergone Phase 1/2 clinical trials for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, where it demonstrated an ability to reduce tumor size and induce tumor cell shedding. [8, 9, 11]

Other names

aLAα-lactalbumin