Patrick Mehlen

Introduction

In adults, cells renewal is precisely controlled. Notably, cells are in dependence relationship with soluble molecules, called ligands: they are necessary for its survival. They are recognized by proteins at the surface of the cell, called Dependence Receptors (DR). If the DR does not “see” its ligand, the cell dies.

In certain cancers, cells are freed of this control mechanism: either by becoming able to produce their ligand themselves or by getting rid of the DR. In both cases, they are not dependent on the ligand anymore to survive and can multiply uncontrollably, producing then tumors.

Understanding those mechanisms is thus crucial to open new and innovative therapeutical avenues by acting on either the ligand or the DR itself to restore its function in cells which lost it.

Deciphering those mechanisms to fight cancer constitutes the core axis of Patrick Mehlen’s research.

Realization/Projects

Moreover, one of the main objective of Patrick Mehlen and his laboratory is to help the pre-clinical and clinical development of an antibody blocking the RD/ligand interaction. They showed it was important to combine chemotherapeutical or demethylating treatments to potentialise the anti-tumoral effect of the DR/ligand interference.

Today, the selection of the humanised antibody has been achieved and the official pre-clinical program is ongoing. They hope to enter the Phase I clinical trial in 2016.