B-cell receptor specific for Epidermal Growth Factor and P64K epitopes (BCR (EGF/P64K))

B-cell receptors specific for EGF and P64K epitopes are the primary immunological targets engaged by the CIMAvax-EGF therapeutic vaccine, which is used in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These receptors are located on the surface of specific B-lymphocyte populations and are designed to recognize a conjugate of recombinant human Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and the P64K carrier protein, a 64kDa recombinant protein from Neisseria meningitidis (Crombet et al., 2003). The binding of the vaccine to these specific BCRs triggers an active immune response that overcomes self-tolerance, leading to the production of high titers of polyclonal anti-EGF antibodies (Rodriguez et al., 2016). These antibodies circulate and sequester endogenous EGF, effectively preventing the ligand from binding to and activating the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) on the surface of malignant cells (Saavedra et al., 2018). This mechanism, often described as 'immunological castration,' inhibits tumor cell proliferation and survival by depriving the tumor of essential growth factors. Unlike passive therapies such as monoclonal antibodies, this approach leverages the patient's own immune system to maintain long-term suppression of growth factor signaling (Roswell Park, 2023). Clinical efficacy is most pronounced in patients with high baseline levels of circulating EGF, making serum EGF a critical biomarker for patient selection and monitoring.

Other names

Anti-EGF B-cell receptorEGF-P64K specific B-cell receptorB-cell receptor for CIMAvax-EGF

Active immunotherapy involving the stimulation of specific B-cell receptors to induce a polyclonal antibody response against endogenous Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), leading to the neutralization of circulating EGF and subsequent inhibition of EGFR-mediated tumor growth signaling.