Evaluation of a Novel Technique for the Discovery of New, Tumor-specific Targets for the Deployment of Innovative Immunotherapeutics Against Cancer.

The goal of this interventional, prospective research on human bodily material is to discover new, cancer-specific molecular structures (i.e. glycopeptides) within surgically removed, estrogen receptor positive breast cancer tumors.

The main goal it aims to achieve is:

To discover tumor-specific targets, that allow the use of very potent immunotherapeutic drugs as treatment for solid tumors, such as estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. These new targets are very specific for cancer cells, meaning that virtually no healthy cells should be attacked by the treatment, resulting in less side effects.

Participants will undergo standard of care treatment, comprising surgical removal of the breast tumor. Part of these tissues will be used for this clinical research.

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Key information

Conditions

Estrogen Receptor Positive Breast Cancer

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

AZ Maria Middelares, Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Female
Minimally 18 years old
Diagnosed with estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer
This must be a primary tumor

Exclusion criteria

Male
Younger than 18 years old
Previous history of other tumors

Treatment and study plan

Tumor resection

Procedure

As the standard of care, estrogen receptor-positive breast tumors are surgically resected. From these resected tumors, small samples of both cancer tissue and healthy surrounding tissue will be analyzed using our patented Tn-Miner workflow to discover novel tumor-specific epitopes.

Primary outcomes

Discovery of new, tumor-specific, glycopeptide epitopes.

Time frame: The patients are only involved during their standard of care surgery (one day). The discovered epitopes will not be shared with enrolled patients.

The discovery of new antigens, comprising both glycan and peptide (=glycopeptide), on the outside of the plasma membrane of the breast cancer cells. These antigens should be absent on healthy cells. These new, glycopeptide antigens can be used as target for immunotherapeutics against cancer.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Ghent

Other

Collaborators

Algemeen Ziekenhuis Maria Middelares
University Hospital, Ghent

Registry information

Official study title

Tn-Miner: Technology for the Discovery of Tumor-specific Glycopeptide Immunotherapy Targets.

Acronym: Tn-Miner

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Oct 8, 2024
Registry last updated: Aug 29, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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