CBD-IL-2

CBD-IL-2 is a recombinant fusion protein consisting of interleukin-2 (IL-2) fused to a collagen-binding domain (CBD) derived from the A3 domain of von Willebrand factor (VWF). Developed by researchers at the University of Chicago, this immunotherapy is designed to improve the safety and efficacy of IL-2 by targeting the cytokine specifically to the tumor microenvironment. The CBD moiety exploits the leaky nature of tumor vasculature, which exposes stromal collagen to the bloodstream, allowing the fusion protein to accumulate preferentially within tumors. This localized delivery reduces systemic exposure, thereby mitigating common IL-2-associated toxicities such as capillary leak syndrome and pulmonary edema, while enhancing the activation of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Preclinical studies have shown that CBD-IL-2 significantly suppresses tumor growth and increases the ratio of effector CD8+ T cells to regulatory T cells in models of melanoma, colon carcinoma, and breast cancer.

Other names

collagen-binding interleukin-2VWF-A3-IL-2VWF-A-3-IL-2VWF-A 3-IL-2CBD-IL2CBD-IL-2CBD-IL 2collagen-binding IL-2