Immunocine Cancer Center
Battling Cancer with Reactivated Immune System Warriors

The human body relies on its immune system to defend against viruses, bacteria and even the development of micro-cancers. Sometimes, immune ignorance—a phenomenon in which the system fails to recognize these threats—sets in, resulting in the unchecked development of cancer cells. Dendritic cells, the commanders of the immune system, can identify these instances and orchestrate an optimal immune response, making them ideal candidates for cancer immunotherapy.

Immunocine Cancer Center reactivates the power of dendritic cells to bring the immune system back into the fight against cancer.

Located in Cancun, Mexico, Immunocine specializes in dendritic cell immunotherapy without requiring foreign compounds or genetically modified cells. Undergoing multiple clinical trials under FDA supervision, this highly personalized and precise treatment is referred to as a ‘living medicine’ as it solely involves reprogramming dendritic cells to stimulate the immune response against cancer.

“Our approach involves ensuring the immune system accurately recognizes the threat by programming it to specifically target the cancer,” says Matthew Halpert, CEO.

Halpert’s academic research group at the Texas Medical Center was the first to make a significant breakthrough in unlocking the potential of dendritic cells. It discovered that the key lies not in what is added to the dendritic cells but in how it is added. By carefully ‘double loading’ the dendritic cells so that the correct cancer antigens are simultaneously in multiple important pathways, the cell undergoes a natural genetic transformation responsible for optimal engagement of the immune system. This process is unique to all Immunocine efforts.

The treatment involves extracting a patient’s dendritic and cancer cells and uniquely and powerfully reprogramming the dendritic cells to accurately recognize the cancer. These modified cells are reintroduced to the patient in close proximity to functional lymph nodes—locations for optimal dendritic cell activity, another important component to the treatment.

Immunocine takes pride in its dedicated, close-knit medical team of research advisers, oncologists and other specialists. Their responsiveness and open communication, coupled with this innovative therapy, has demonstrated success in tough-to-treat cancers, including stage IV melanoma, ovarian, pancreatic, head and neck, triple negative breast, neuroendocrine, prostate, and several more. Most Immunocine patients respond to treatment, and positive outcomes ranging from partial remission to stable disease to ‘no evidence of disease’ have been observed.

For instance, a patient diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer achieved complete remission, previously having undergone various chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgical interventions with no discernible progress. Following dendritic cell immunotherapy at Immunocine, the patient’s health saw remarkable improvement. As of December 2023, his CT scans demonstrate no evidence of cancer.

Unlike many other cancer clinics, Immunocine is not a walk-in facility. To become eligible, prospective patients must complete a complimentary remote medical review which includes previous oncological summaries, radiological reports and scans, and recent blood work. The Immunocine team strives to approve patients that are deemed able to safely receive this therapy and are legitimately good candidates to respond to treatment.

The whole journey takes about six weeks, in which the patient only needs to be in Cancun for about two weeks total. During the first week of visit, the team conducts baseline scans, blood work, biopsy, apheresis, and other things to set the stage. The team crafts the patient’s personalized vaccine in their dedicated ISO-7 certified lab during the second week, followed by three perinodal dendritic cell injections on approximately days 14, 28 and 42. This regimen follows proper immune kinetics and biology, and is instrumental in a positive outcome. Additional dendritic cells are stored indefinitely for future potential boosts, and the Immunocine team continues to have active communication with all patients post treatment.

Post-injections, patients may experience typically manageable, normal immune reactions like fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, low-grade fever and headaches, for example. The team maintains constant contact while in Cancun and regular check-ins of the patients once they return home to continue to track their progress and provide assistance when applicable.

The therapy’s most advanced FDA trial is happening in the United States with a focus on glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. The survival and quality of life metrics in that trial were sufficient to garner a “Fast Track” designation from the FDA, and continues to march towards approval. Another ongoing clinical trial is targeting a specific form of pancreatic cancer (PDAC), while a third clinical trial will open at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 2024 for angiosarcoma.

Backed by research and clinical success across a variety of cancers, Immunocine is poised to deliver a groundbreaking cancer immunotherapy treatment, emerging as a reliable ally for patients in search of hope and cure.