The Science of Tissue Vaccines
Torigen has 10+ years of supporting pre-clinical research behind our treatment, a tissue vaccine. Tissue vaccines consist of material harvested directly from the tumors themselves. This is in contrast to vaccines produced from cultured cell material and only include one or several clonal, cultured cell lines. Tissue vaccines are composed of antigens associated with tumor cells and the supporting tumor stroma.
Vaccines created from entire tumors allow for a greater variety of antigens to be presented to the immune system. The identity of individual antigens is often unknown, but it can be assumed that the rich choice of antigenic targets increases the likelihood of a successful immune response (Suckow, Heinrich and Rosen, 2007).
Research into cancer immunotherapy, more specifically the effectiveness of tissue vaccines, has culminated in the development of our product, an autologous cancer vaccine comprised of deactivated tumor cells combined with a medical-grade adjuvant, particulate small intestinal submucosa (SIS). Studies have proven the effectiveness of such a treatment in significantly decreasing cancer tumor malignancy and metastasis in pre-clinical models. The mechanism of action requires further elucidation, however, it is currently understood as SIS-facilitated immune system interaction with targeted tumor cells and synergistic induction of a rejection microenvironment through a robust Th1 immune response to incite cancer immunity.
Research & Development at Torigen Pharmaceuticals
What if veterinary cancer researchers can affect the way we think about human cancer? What if every treatment developed at Torigen has the opportunity to change a little bit of the world?
Not only are we committed to commercializing immuno-oncology to the veterinary community, we are focused on translational medicine— to help and treat both dogs, and one day humans, with cancer. Torigen is developing and
in-licensing new technology. Contact us to learn more.
Autologous Prescription Product
Our autologous prescription product uses the animal's own tumor cells to create a personalized immunotherapy.
Every tumor that gets submitted into Torigen is retained and utilized to further cancer research. Cancer research is at the core of everything we do.
Other Technologies
In addition to our autologous prescription product, Torigen Pharmaceuticals has a strong research and development pipeline. Our dedication to innovative research and collaborative relationship-building allows us to leverage the veterinary field and provide novel advances to the immuno-oncology space.
Scientific Publications
Greenberg CB, Javsicas LH, Clauson RM, Suckow MA, Kalinauskas AE, Lucroy MD. Field Safety Experience With an Autologous Cancer Vaccine in 41 Horses: A Retrospective Study (2019-2021). J Equine Vet Sci. 2022 Jul;114:103948. doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.103948. Epub 2022 Apr 9. PMID: 35405291.
Lucroy MD, Kugler AM, El-Tayyeb F, Clauson RM, Kalinauskas AE, Suckow MA. Field safety experience with an autologous cancer vaccine in tumor-bearing cats: a retrospective study of 117 cases (2015–2020). Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. July 2021
Lucroy MD, Clauson RM, Suckow MA, El-Tayyeb F, Kalinauskas A. Evaluation of an autologous cancer vaccine for the treatment of metastatic canine hemangiosarcoma: a preliminary study. BMC Veterinary Research, 2018
Crossley RA, Matz A, Dew T, Kalinauskas A, Faucette N, Poff B, Silbart LK, Suckow MA. Safety evaluation of autologous tissue vaccinecancer immunotherapy in a canine model. Anitcancer Research, 39:1699-1703, 2019.
Suckow MA. Cancer vaccines: harnessing the potential of anti-tumor immunity. The Veterinary Journal, 198:28-33, 2013.
Suckow MA, Ritchie R, and Overby A. 2011. Extracellular matrix adjuvant for vaccines. Pp. 441-458. In: Pignatello, R. (ed.),Biomaterials: Applications for Nanomedicine, 2019.
Suckow MA, Hall P, Hiles MC. Tissue vaccines for prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Proceedia in Vaccinology 1:124-126, 2009.
Suckow MA, Wolter WR, Sailes VT. Inhibition of prostate cancer metastasis by administration of a tissue vaccine. Clinical &Experimental Metastasis 25:913-918, 2008.
Suckow MA, Hall P, Wolter W, Sailes V, Hiles MC. Use of an extracellular matrix material as a vaccine carrier and adjuvant. Anticancer Research 28:2529-2534, 2008.
Suckow MA, Wheeler JD, Wolter WR, Sailes V, Yan M. Immunization with a tissue vaccine enhances the effect of irradiationof prostate tumors. In Vivo 22:171-177, 2008.
Suckow MA, Heinrich JE, Rosen ED. Tissue vaccines for cancer. Expert Review of Vaccines 6:925-937, 2007.
Suckow MA, Rosen ED, Wolter WR, Sailes V, Jeffrey R, Tenniswood M. Prevention of human PC-346C prostate cancer growth inmice by a xenogeneic vaccine. Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy 56:1275-1283, 2007.
Suckow MA, Wolter WR, Pollard M. Prevention of autochthonous prostate cancer by immunization with tumor-derived vaccines. Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, 54:571-576, 2005.