E7*-SAPKQ

E7*-SAPKQ is an experimental therapeutic vaccine candidate designed for the treatment of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) type 16-associated malignancies. It is a fusion product consisting of an attenuated, non-oncogenic version of the HPV16 E7 protein (E7*, also known as E7GGG) and a mutagenized, non-cytotoxic form of saporin (SAPKQ), a ribosome-inactivating protein derived from the plant *Saponaria officinalis*. The SAPKQ component serves as an immune-stimulatory carrier and adjuvant, enhancing the induction of E7-specific cell-mediated immune responses, particularly the activation of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Developed by researchers at ENEA and the Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, the vaccine has been evaluated in both DNA plasmid and recombinant protein formats. Preclinical studies utilizing tomato (*Solanum lycopersicum*) hairy root cultures as a bioproduction platform have demonstrated that a heterologous prime-boost strategy—priming with the DNA-based vaccine and boosting with the plant-derived protein extract—elicits potent anticancer activity and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production in mouse tumor models.

Other names

E7GGG-SAPKQE-7GGG-SAPKQE 7GGG-SAPKQE7*-SAPKQ DNA vaccine