Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. has divulged antibody-drug conjugates comprising antibodies targeting HER2 covalently linked to exatecan through a linker. They are reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
In a positive sign for its future success, Harbinger Health Inc. closed a $140 million series B fundraising round, bringing total funds raised since its founding in 2020 to $190 million. The new funds will be used to support completion of the company’s CORE-HH 10,000 participant study of its blood-based multicancer early detection (MCED) test. The company expects to complete enrollment in CORE-HH, a three-part case control, adaptive study with development, validation and longitudinal cohorts in 2024.
Researchers from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani and Jadavpur University have reported novel HDAC3 inhibitors as potential candidates for the treatment of breast cancer. Synthesis and optimization of a series of pyrazino-hydrazide-based HDAC3 inhibitors led to the characterization of compound [I] as the lead candidate with potent HDAC3 inhibitory activity (IC50=14 nM) and at least 121-fold selectivity.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) regulates both cell cycle and global transcription and is a validated therapeutic target in cancer. Researchers from Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. reported on the discovery and preclinical evaluation of SHR-5428, a noncovalent CDK7 inhibitor.
U3-1402/patritumab-GGFG-DXd is the first HER3-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) showing clinical efficacy in non-small-cell lung cancer. However, an elevated proportion of patients with this cancer express low levels of HER3 and are nonresponsive to this ADC. In addition, novel ADCs are needed to treat other cancer types, including colorectal cancer.
Satyarx Pharma Innovations Pvt Ltd. has disclosed novel bicyclic compounds acting as DNA repair protein RAD51 homolog 1 inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
A fluorescent imaging agent developed by Vergent Bioscience Inc. enables visualization of elusive and previously undetected tumors, a phase II study presented last week at the 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCL23) demonstrated. The ability of the tumor-targeting agent, Vgt-309, to illuminate tumors could help surgeons more precisely locate tumors, better ensure clean margins and guide care decisions. In 10% of cases, the agent revealed unknown tumors in lymph nodes, which could affect which nodes are biopsied as well as when or whether a systemic therapy is recommended.
Cancer Research Technology Ltd. has disclosed proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) comprising an E3 ubiquitin ligase binding moiety covalently bonded to a mitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (MAPK7; ERK5)-targeting moiety through a linker. They are reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Bicycle radionuclide conjugates (BRCs) have been developed as a unique radiotheranostic modality for imaging and targeting of proteins overexpressed by tumors, and they possess favorable drug-like properties allowing for effective delivery of radioisotopes. Researchers from Bicycletx Ltd. recently presented a new BRC that targets ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2), named BCY-18469.