GHP September 2015

ghp September 2015 | 9 New Treatments Could Revolutionise Treatment of Therapy-resistant Tumours The firm has exclusively licensed the patent rights for drugs that target and control the proliferation and invasiveness of self-renewing cancer stem cells, aggressive metastatic mesenchymal cells, and brain tumours through two complementary path- ways for re-activating tumour suppressors. Re-ac- tivating tumour suppressors causes tumour cells to “self-regulate” the out-of-control proliferation and invasion associated with metastatic-specific cell surface glycoprotein remodelling and epigenetical- ly-controlled DNMT1/G9a/EZH2 methyltransferase chromatin remodelling. The Company’s lead drugs have demonstrated marked in vitro effectiveness in epithelial cells of primary and locally invasive tumours, as well as mesenchymal tumours having increased expression of cell surface glycoproteins that affect cell cycle dysfunction, tumour migration and angiogenesis. Donald L. Barbeau. President and co-founder of OncoRx Pharmaceuticals, commented, “Unlike non-invasive primary tumours, the growth, prolifer- ation and invasiveness of therapy-resistant tumours are not effectively controlled with conventional cancer therapies or the newly introduced target- ed kinase inhibitors. This inability to control the progression of therapy-resistant metastatic tumours is believed to be responsible for 90% of all cancer related deaths; yet, the only drugs we see getting approval are ineffective against these therapy-resist- ant malignant tumours.” In vitro studies performed by the Company’s licensor have shown effectiveness against malig- nant melanoma tumours having the BRAFV600E mutation, estrogen-negative breast cancer tumours, tumours having downregulated tumour suppressors (e.g. PTEN, PP2A and Egr-1), and tumours with self-renewing cancer stem cells. In vivo studies are consistent with minimal cytochrome P450 biotrans- formation to known toxic metabolites, a relatively long plasma half-life, and the rapid achievement of clinically-relevant plasma concentrations in both plasma and the brain. OncoRx is now planning to initiate preclinical testing on its lead compounds for the treatment of paediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and glioblastoma multiforme. Mr. Barbeau commented, “Despite some recent successes of targeted kinase therapies and the immunologic therapies, the unregulated growth and proliferation of drug-resistant malignant tumors in patients was not in sight until now. This is not sur- prising when one considers that invasive drug-re- sistant malignant tumour cells have completely OncoRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announcing its launch as an early-stage pharmaceutical com- pany focused on the development of drug therapies that control the progression of therapy-resist- ant malignant tumours. different biological properties than drug-sensitive tumour cells. We are excited about our partner’s research studies with drug-resistant malignant tumours, and the unique ability of their lead drug to markedly penetrate the blood-brain-barrier. As new- comers in a crowded field, it is imperative that we have unfettered access to this compelling science and strong intellectual property surrounding it if we hope to be successful.”