The overarching objective of Immune-Image is to develop a novel non-invasive imaging strategy for assessing immune cell activation and dynamics in oncology and inflammatory disease, in animal models and in patients. Immune-Image will (a) develop, optimise and validate existing and novel immune cell-specific imaging probes, (b) establish imaging protocols, hybrid imaging workflows and imaging software, and (c) prepare the regulatory framework for clinical trials using novel immune imaging approaches for developing, selecting and monitoring immunotherapies.

This project has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 831514. This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA.

Immunotherapies have emerged as effective treatments for immune system-related diseases, such as cancer and inflammatory diseases. Although immunotherapeutics are effective not all patients benefit and side effects vary greatly.Thus, there is an unmet need for a personalized approach. Blood and tissue biomarkers have played only a modest role up until now in assessing immune status in vivo and we believe that non-invasive whole body imaging will make a significant contribution in the future. Although the field of imaging (PET, MRI, Optical Imaging) is flourishing, its application to patient immune status measurement and monitoring has barely been explored.

Within Immune-Image we aim to develop new immunotracers for imaging specific immune cell subsets, develop quantitative imaging workflows, validate the immunotracers pre-clinically in relevant disease models, produce the tracers in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant way, and conduct smart clinical trials, including with novel tracers. To this end, insights will be gained into the optimal use of drugs and a more efficient development of immunotherapeutics. Moreover, the success rate of immunotherapy development will be enhanced since our molecular imaging platform will provide novel insights into patient immune status, which will support drug development and treatment decisions.

To achieve our goals, we have assembled an experienced international multi-disciplinary consortium composed of chemists, biologists, immunologists, physicists, pharmacists, information technologists, and medical specialists with diverse and essential backgrounds who will join forces to design, synthesise, evaluate and validate immunotracers and create sustainable molecular imaging techniques that can be broadly applied in the assessment of the immune status and immune modulation of patients. There will be input from patients and regulators in order to assure optimal design and execution of immunotracer clinical trials.

For more information visit:

• https://www.immune-image.eu/
• https://twitter.com/ImmuneImage
• https://www.imi.europa.eu/projects-results/project-factsheets/immune-image
• https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/225409/factsheet/en