TFS HealthScience, a global Contract Research Organization (CRO), has expanded its collaboration with biopharmaceutical company Oncomatryx to support a Phase Ib clinical trial of OMTX705 in patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The trial will evaluate this novel anti-fibroblast activation protein antibody-drug conjugate (FAP-ADC) across clinical sites in Spain and the United States.
Pancreatic cancer represents one of oncology's most significant challenges, with the World Cancer Research Foundation reporting over 510,000 new cases and 466,000 deaths annually worldwide. Despite advances in cancer treatment, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer remains below 10%, highlighting the critical need for innovative therapeutic approaches.
Building on Phase I Success
The new Phase Ib study extends the partnership established during an earlier Phase I trial that evaluated OMTX705 both as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. According to both companies, promising results from this initial study provided the foundation for advancing to the next development phase.
"Our continued collaboration with Oncomatryx reflects a shared commitment to accelerating the development of innovative therapies for challenging cancers like pancreatic adenocarcinoma," said Kris O'Brien, Vice President and Head of Oncology & Rare Diseases at TFS. "TFS brings deep therapeutic insight and operational agility to every program we support—helping to move promising science forward where it's needed most."
Laureano Simon, CEO of Oncomatryx, expressed optimism about the program's progression: "We're entering an exciting new phase in the clinical development of OMTX705. TFS has proven to be a trusted, expert partner—key to advancing our science toward patients who urgently need new options."
Novel Approach Targeting Tumor Microenvironment
OMTX705 represents a distinctive approach to treating pancreatic cancer by targeting the tumor microenvironment rather than cancer cells directly. The antibody-drug conjugate specifically targets fibroblast activation protein (FAP) expressed on cancer-associated fibroblasts, which play a critical role in creating an immunosuppressive environment that supports tumor growth and metastasis.
This mechanism of action differentiates OMTX705 from traditional chemotherapies and even many targeted therapies, potentially offering a new strategy for a malignancy that has proven particularly resistant to treatment advances.
Financial Backing and Future Milestones
The OMTX705 program has gained significant momentum following a €25 million fundraising round completed by Oncomatryx at the end of 2024. Phase I clinical data is expected to be presented at major oncology conferences throughout 2025, which will provide further insights into the drug's safety profile and preliminary efficacy signals.
Expertise in Oncology Clinical Development
TFS brings over two decades of experience in oncology research to the collaboration, having supported clinical trials across solid tumors, hematological malignancies, and rare cancers. The CRO operates across 40 countries, providing specialized expertise in several therapeutic areas including oncology.
For Oncomatryx, the partnership leverages TFS's global reach and operational capabilities while maintaining the agility and responsiveness characteristic of mid-sized CROs. The Spanish biotech has developed a proprietary Antibody-Drug Conjugates platform specifically targeting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in the microenvironment of metastatic solid tumors.
Addressing an Urgent Unmet Need
The collaboration underscores the urgent need for new therapeutic options in pancreatic cancer, which remains one of the most lethal malignancies despite decades of research. Current standard treatments for advanced pancreatic cancer provide modest survival benefits, and novel approaches like OMTX705 represent potential breakthroughs in a field where progress has been incremental at best.
If successful in later-stage trials, OMTX705 could offer a meaningful advance for patients with limited options, potentially changing the treatment paradigm for one of oncology's most challenging diseases.
