Antibodies, new frontiers in the fight against cancer: R&D AbITi project to be presented in Como and online on 20 November

We are publishing the press release concerning the event «Antibodies, New Frontiers in the Fight Against Cancer», scheduled for Friday, 20 November at 3:30 pm at the University of Insubria's Sant'Abbondio Cloister campus in Como and online.

The event focuses on the R&D AbITi project, funded by the Interreg Italy–Switzerland 2021–2027 Programme and coordinated by the University of Insubria. The project brings together the University of Eastern Piedmont, CLB – Choose Life Biotech, the Institute of Oncology Research, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Università della Svizzera italiana and Consorzio IBIS, with the aim of developing new antibody-based therapies to fight cancer.

Presenting the R&D AbITi project and sharing with the public the results achieved by the research teams at the halfway point: this is the aim of the event «Antibodies, New Frontiers in the Fight Against Cancer», scheduled for Friday, 20 November 2026, at 3:30 pm in Como, at the University of Insubria, Via Sant'Abbondio 12 (Room S.2.7).

The event, which will also be available via online streaming, will offer an opportunity to discover the project «R&D AbITi – Italian-Swiss Technology Platform for Antibody Research and Development», presented by the researchers and organisations directly involved.

The project, funded by the Interreg Italy–Switzerland 2021–2027 Programme, is led by the University of Insubria – Department of Science and High Technology (Como) and involves the following partners:

• University of Eastern Piedmont – Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Novara);
• CLB – Choose Life Biotech, a company specialising in the discovery and development of antibodies for diagnostic and pharmaceutical applications (Bellinzona, Switzerland);
• IOR – Institute of Oncology Research (Bellinzona, Switzerland);
• The Translational Research Institute of Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale and Università della Svizzera italiana (Bellinzona, Switzerland);
• Consorzio IBIS (Novara).

All the organisations involved, together with their research teams, are working towards several important objectives. The first is the development of therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of cancer, particularly prostate and colorectal cancer, which together cause approximately 250,000 deaths every year in Europe.

The project has also launched postgraduate training programmes designed to prepare biotechnology specialists with new technical and transferable skills. These professionals are currently in high demand both in Italy and abroad.

Another key objective is to establish a biotechnology research network connecting Piedmont, Lombardy and Canton Ticino. The aim is to ensure that this network can continue operating successfully beyond the project's completion and expand to include additional research institutions and companies in the sector.

The project began on 1 January 2025 and will run for 30 months. The total budget allocated to the Italian partners is approximately €885,000, while the budget for the organisations based in Canton Ticino amounts to CHF 1,190,000.

The event will therefore offer a fascinating opportunity to explore new therapeutic approaches in the fight against cancer, including treatments designed to target affected areas more precisely while significantly reducing adverse effects for patients.

Participants will also discover how research, innovation and advanced technology can create important opportunities for growth in the territories involved.

The event will take place on Friday, 20 November 2026, at 3:30 pm, at the University of Insubria, Via Sant'Abbondio 12, Como, and online.

Admission is free and open to everyone, but registration is required via Eventbrite or by emailing comunicazione@poloibis.it.

Those wishing to attend online will receive a link to the live stream.

For further information, visit rd-abiti.ibisprogetti.eu and follow the project on Instagram and LinkedIn