Available Technologies

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have achieved significant results in cancer treatment, but there is a challenge of lower response rates especially in elderly patients. This is believed to be due to age-related decline in immune function and excessive inflammatory responses, which suppress the effectiveness of ICIs.

Description and Advantages

Kyoto University researchers have elucidated the mechanism of the inflammatory response that suppresses the effects of ICIs in elderly animals. Furthermore, they discovered that FAAH inhibitors can suppress this inflammatory response, and by combining FAAH inhibitors with ICIs, the efficacy of ICIs in elderly animals was enhanced (Figure 1).

➢ Enhanced effect of ICIs in the old ages
The efficacy of the combination of a FAAH inhibitor and an ICI has been confirmed in-vivo.
➢ Basic safety confirmed
FAAH inhibitors have been developed as treatments for chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, and their basic safety has been confirmed.
➢ Orally available small molecule
FAAH inhibitors can be administered orally.