Omeros Corp. has successfully completed its initial study in nonhuman primates evaluating the efficacy and safety of its Oncotox-AML cancer therapeutic platform for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Oncotox-AML is an engineered biologic designed to selectively kill both AML blasts and relapse-related leukemia stem cells.
The variety of organoids that can be developed in vitro is enabling major advances. Depending on the type of tissues and the research goals, these small 3D cell-based structures that mimic real tissue offer certain advantages over animal models. Scientists at the University of Padova in Italy have created human neuromuscular organoids to reproduce cancer-induced muscle cachexia, a condition that murine models do not accurately replicate.
Ascentage Pharma Group Corp. Ltd. and Ascentage Pharma (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. have disclosed proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) compounds comprising E3 ubiquitin ligase-binding moiety covalently linked to a Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK)-targeting moiety. They are reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Merna Therapeutics Inc. has discovered polypeptides targeting sortilin (neurotensin NTR3; NT3; Gp95) receptor. They are reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
The Institut National De La Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Bordeaux and Université de Paris Cité have synthesized N-phenyl-quinoline-4-carboxamide compounds acting as furin (PACE; PCSK3) inhibitors. They are reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) accounts for high number of new diagnoses each year. Current management is based on surgery followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy, where treatment-induced fibrosis is a common complication associated with therapy. Since fibrosis is mostly driven by dysregulation of the Rho-ROCK signaling axis, researchers from Australia have investigated the potential of modulating ROCK2 with the small-molecule inhibitor RX-10616 for its potential antifibrotic effect combined with radiotherapy in patient-derived murine models of HNSCC.
Beactica Therapeutics AB, together with researchers at KU Leuven, has been awarded a €2.5 million (US$3.0 million) grant by the European Innovation Council (EIC) to advance BEA-17, a precision immune therapy for glioblastoma.
Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has described antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) comprising antibodies targeting cadherin-3 (CDH3; CDHP; P-cadherin) covalently linked to cytotoxic drug through a linker. They are reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.