Neoepitope Analysis

At Repertoire Genesis Corporation, we focused on fully personalized medical treatments, and have developed a neoepitope analysis system that enables to search for fully individualized cancer antigens. This technique, unlike others to date, does not search for “common cancer antigens”. It instead differentiates cancers that occur in individuals, and using that as a pre-requisite, enables to analyze antigen-recognizing epitopes that exist in genetic mutations of cancer cells.

Hence, RNA and DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and confirmation of IFNγ production ability on the final epitope candidate are carried out as a set.

What is Neoepitope Analysis?

Cancer that occurs in individuals is caused by the accumulation of genetic mutations. Although cancer susceptibility genes have been found and drugs that can be used on numerous people have been developed, the success rate is less than satisfactory.

Since cancer is ultimately different between individuals, we believe that a tailor-made specific treatment for each individual is required.

DNA sequencing is carried out on cancer cells from individuals which have accumulated genetic mutations, and the degree of activity comprehensively analyzed via RNA sequencing. Using a newly developed bioinformatics software, the individualized antigen or “neoantigen” is then narrowed down. Next, the software calculates the possible sites of antigen-presentation by Human Leukocyte Antigens of individuals, as well as peptide fragments with the highest affinity. Finally, from the countless peptide fragments resulting from mutation, the complete personalized true epitope will be the neoepitope. Confirmation of IFNγ production is carried out using in vitro assays to narrow down the epitope candidate.

The Usefulness of Neoepitope Analysis

Neoepitope analysis not only targets genetic mutations in cancer cells, but it can comprehensively analyze somatic genetic mutations, even for autoimmune diseases which many are said to be incurable. Through bioinformatics, it has the potential to discover the neoepitope as its cause.