ASPAGNII(TM) – INDIGENEOUS TUMOUR ANTIGEN
- June 6, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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ASPAGNII(TM) – INDIGENEOUS TUMOUR ANTIGEN
Subject: Science & tech
Context: DBT-NII Receives Trademark for India’s First Indigenous Tumour Antigen SPAG9.
Concept:
- India’s first indigenous tumour antigen SPAG9 was discovered by Dr Anil Suri in 1998 who is heading the Cancer Research Program at the New Delhi-based National Institute of Immunology (NII), an Autonomous Institute of Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
- In a recent development, the SPAG9 antigen has received the trademark ASPAGNIITM.
- Currently, ASPAGNIITM is being used in dendritic cell (DC) based immunotherapy in cervical, ovarian cancer and will also be used in breast cancer.
Immunotherapy
- Immunotherapy is a new approach that exploits the body’s inner capability to put up a fight against cancer.
- With this approach, either the immune system is given a boost, or the T cells are “trained’’ to identify recalcitrant cancer cells and kill them.