In 2022, the Japan team finalized the material evaluation and prepared 4 mg of Caspase-8 sensors (for covering 50-60 mice imaging). Furthermore, the Japan team confirmed the active Caspase-8 expression in TRAIL-mediated cell death. The caspase cascade was confirmed by real-time imaging treated with caspase-3, 8, and 9 sensors. The MTA was delayed a bit, so the shipment is not processed yet. Japan's side started to write manuscript for the paper publication.
The US team has successfully evaluated the vaccine efficacy and is waiting for the MTA's approval between Dana Faber Cancer Institute and Kumamoto University. After the MTA is approved, the in vivo caspase-8 imaging will be performed in the US under the BSL 3 or BSL 4.