On July 26, 2018 Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNPX), a clinical stage gene therapy company developing a new approach to treating cancer based upon a novel proprietary technology platform, reported that it has entered a Sponsored Research Agreement ("Agreement") with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center under which Genprex will sponsor a pre-clinical study, entitled "A Novel Therapeutic Approach for the Treatment of Cancer Using a Combination of the Multifactorial Tumor Suppressor Gene TUSC2 and Immunotherapy," to be conducted under the direction of Jack A. Roth, MD, FACS (Press release, Genprex, JUL 26, 2018, View Source [SID1234529158]). TUSC2 is the active agent in Genprex’s investigational drug candidate Oncoprex.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
The study, which is built upon strong data from pre-clinical research conducted at MD Anderson, is intended to develop a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer using a combination of the multifactorial tumor suppressor gene TUSC2 and immunotherapy, including the immune checkpoint inhibitors anti-PD1 and/or anti CTLA-4. The study will include the identification of biomarkers to predict the response to TUSC2-immunotherapy combinations.
Under the Agreement, MD Anderson will provide all necessary personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities and resources to perform the study; and Genprex will pay MD Anderson an amount equal to its expenditures and reasonable overhead in conducting the study in an amount of $2.0 million.
"This research program will evaluate the ability of TUSC2 gene therapy to synergistically enhance the effect and clinical utility of anti-PD1 and/or anti-CTLA-4 therapies," said Rodney Varner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genprex. "Identifying biomarkers that can predict response rates for Oncoprex-immunotherapy combinations may allow us to explore the utility of this treatment regimen in a broader array of cancers."
Varner added, "While immunotherapies represent an important advance in treating cancer, even in highly immunogenic tumors, the majority of patients do not respond to checkpoint inhibition. Combination therapies targeting multiple anti-cancer pathways represent a promising approach to achieving greater response rates, and may also allow the expanded use of immunotherapies in a larger population of cancer patients who are not currently candidates for these treatments."
Researchers at MD Anderson reported data from preclinical research at the 2017 meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) demonstrating that TUSC2 alone or in combination with checkpoint blockade (anti-PD-1 and/or anti-CTLA4) significantly prolonged mouse survival in a non-small cell lung cancer metastasis model compared to checkpoint blockade alone. The greatest increase in survival was seen with TUSC2 combined with checkpoint blockade. The treatment response was associated with high infiltration of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8 T cells, and low infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in the tumor microenvironment.