'>Dr Johannes Coy – Overview
Biologist, cancer researcher, discoverer of the TKTL1 gene and the associated sugar-fat metabolism, discoverer of the DNaseX gene, which is increasingly produced in tumour cells
Dr. Johannes Coy is the discoverer of the gene transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) and the associated sugar-fat metabolism, which controls the regeneration of cells and allows damaged DNA to be repaired efficiently. Research groups at the Max Planck Society led by Wieland Huttner and Nobel laureate Svante Pääbo recently confirmed the new TKTL1 pathway and demonstrated its causal role in the increased neuron formation in the neocortex of modern humans. Since inhibition of the TKTL1 pathway overcomes the resistance of cancer cells to chemo- and radiotherapies, a transketolase inhibitor was established by Dr. Coy and successfully evaluated in a clinical phase I, making it possible for the first time to inhibit transketolases in patients. In addition to its therapeutic use, TKTL1 also opens up new diagnostic options for the early detection of tumours by detecting TKTL1 in the stomach contents of phagocytes in the blood, thus enabling the detection of tumour cells that are recognized and eliminated by the immune system at an early stage.
Dr. Johannes Coy is the discoverer of the gene transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) and the associated sugar-fat metabolism, which controls the regeneration of cells and allows damaged DNA to be repaired efficiently. Research groups at the Max Planck Society led by Wieland Huttner and Nobel laureate Svante Pääbo recently confirmed the new TKTL1 pathway and demonstrated its causal role in the increased neuron formation in the neocortex of modern humans. Since inhibition of the TKTL1 pathway overcomes the resistance of cancer cells to chemo- and radiotherapies, a transketolase inhibitor was established by Dr. Coy and successfully evaluated in a clinical phase I, making it possible for the first time to inhibit transketolases in patients. In addition to its therapeutic use, TKTL1 also opens up new diagnostic options for the early detection of tumours by detecting TKTL1 in the stomach contents of phagocytes in the blood, thus enabling the detection of tumour cells that are recognized and eliminated by the immune system at an early stage.
Dr Johannes Coy was born in 1963 in Otzberg in the Odenwald, Germany. In 1985, he began his biology studies at the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen with a focus on molecular and human genetics. After graduating in 1990, he began working at the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. There he was a member of the research project Molecular Genome Analysis, headed by the then DKFZ director and later Nobel Prize winner for Medicine Prof. Harald zur Hausen.
At that time, Dr Coy concentrated on identifying genes using a new method he had developed. During his time at the DKFZ, Dr Coy discovered the two genes TKTL1 and DNaseX, which he already saw as potential new cancer markers. He persisted (despite initial scepticism) with research on the two genes in connection with cancer and its diagnosis, in particular also with the metabolism of tumour cells, and found out that the simultaneous occurrence of TKTL1 and DNaseX in macrophages can provide possible indications of cancer.
In 1996, Dr Coys dissertation „Identification and cloning of tissue-specific expressed sequences of band q28 of the human X chromosome” was awarded summa cum laude.
In the course of his doctoral and post-doctoral years, Coy also identified a large number of genes that are causally involved in the development of diseases – including RETT syndrome, the muscle weakness myotubular myopathy, the development of brain tumours or even cancers of the immune system.
In 2004, Dr Coy was not only able to win R-Biopharm AG, Darmstadt as a business partner for the development of DNaseX and TKTL1 ELISA tests for the detection of cancer. He also took over the management of the oncology department at the same time and built up a research unit for the diagnostic evaluation of the biomarkers DNaseX and TKTL1.
The research results achieved within this framework fuelled the findings that the mutations that took place in the TKTL1 gene in the course of evolution had led to a drastic change in the enzymatic activity of the TKTL1 enzyme. The enzyme now enables the cell to follow a metabolic pathway that ultimately leads to more effective energy and fat formation from sugar without the formation of harmful radicals.
As Dr Coy was aware of the significance of this newly discovered metabolic pathway for the development of diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases and, in particular, cancer, he began to specifically investigate TKTL1 activity in tumours with the help of newly established monoclonal TKTL1 antibodies. He received support from German research groups around Prof. Axel zur Hausen (University of Freiburg), Dr. Langbein (University Clinics Mannheim), Prof. Kämmerer (University of Würzburg) and Prof. Völker (University of Würzburg) as well as from international researchers such as Prof. Stassi and Dr. Zerilli (University of Palermo, Italy). They succeeded in demonstrating increased TKTL1 activity in colon and urothelial carcinomas, in subgroups of gastric and ovarian tumours, in malignant brain tumours and in metastatic papillary thyroid carcinomas, among others. At the same time, the realisation matured that increased TKTL1 activity is associated with a poorer prognosis for cancer patients.
Since 2007, Dr Johannes Coy has continued his research in the company he co-founded, TAVARLIN AG. In the course of his work at TAVARLIN AG, he developed both new diagnostic techniques, for the early detection of tumours in blood samples, and a range of functional food products, for the prevention, therapy support and aftercare of cancer.
- Epitope detection in monocytes (EDIM) – detection method of biomarkers in cells of the innate immune system in blood samples
- Automated flow cytrometry method
- Flow cytometry-based blood tests for the early detection of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases
The EDIM method is currently used in the PanTum Detect® blood test, which is part of a cancer screening programme.
Dr Johannes Coys interests today still include the research on cancer and early cancer detection as well as on the two genes he discovered – TKTL1 and DNaseX. Here you can find a list of publications he has been involved in: