This type of immune therapy does not target tumor cells themselves, but instead activates NKT cells which function as control tower regulating overall immune system. Notable anti-tumor effects have been shown as a result of the adjuvant effects of the activated NKT cells. The advantages of NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapy are introduced below.

Efficacy of NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapy is always expected irrespective of cancer type

NKT cell-targeted cancer chemotherapy does not target tumor cells themselves, but instead activates the patient's own immune function through the adjuvant effects of the IFN-γ produced by NKT cells, and is therefore expected to be effective irrespective of cancer types.

Efficacy of NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapy is always expected in patients with any types of HLA.

NKT cells have antigen-receptor that is uniform to all humans, and recognize antigen glycolipids on CD1d surface molecule which is only one type expressed on antigen-presenting cells derived from human species. They are therefore not restricted to HLA types, which are different in each patient, and are expected to be effective with all patients.

Immune cells triggered by NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapy simultaneously attacks various types of tumor cells

All types of cancer include cancer cells that do and do not express tumor antigens. In previous cancer immunotherapies, activated immune cells attacked only one of these two types of tumor cells, whereas in NKT cell-targeted cancer chemotherapy, adjuvant effects are induced which in turn simultaneously activates both the innate immune system, involving NK cells, and the acquired immune system, involving CD8T cells (killer T-cells). The adjuvant effects are in fact mediated by interferon-γ (IFN-γ) which is produced by NKT cells, and thus effectively attacks and eliminates both types of tumor cells. In addition, its efficacy is not restricted by anti-tumor antigens and it is therefore expected to have anti-tumor efficacy against all types of tumor cells including expressing neo-antigens.

NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapy induces long-term immune memory

Memory T-cells including central and effector memory cells are effectively induced by NKT cells-targeted therapy and stay activated in the patient's body. The therapy can thus establish long-term immune memory responses which results in efficient and prompt immune reactions against tumor cells.

NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapy restores cancer-associated immunodeficiency

NKT cells can interact with immature dendritic cells to induce their maturation, resulting in improving immune-deficient conditions of cancer patents.