Lantern Pharma's investigational drug candidate, LP-184, has received Fast Track Designation from the FDA for the treatment of Glioblastoma (GBM). This designation aims to expedite the development and review process for drugs that treat serious conditions and fill unmet medical needs. LP-184 is currently in a Phase 1A clinical trial evaluating its safety and tolerability in a range of solid tumors, including GBM.
Clinical Development and Significance
The Fast Track Designation acknowledges GBM as a serious condition affecting approximately 13,000 U.S. adults annually and 300,000 globally. Lantern Pharma anticipates initiating a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in late 2024 or early 2025 for recurrent GBM (rGBM). This trial will assess LP-184 both as a monotherapy and in combination with spironolactone, focusing on safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy.
Panna Sharma, President and CEO of Lantern Pharma, stated, "Receiving FDA Fast Track Designation for Lantern Pharma’s LP-184 in GBM reinforces our belief that this drug-candidate can help in the critical need to find effective treatment options for patients with GBM and further supports the potential of LP-184 to address the challenges in aggressive CNS cancers, where patients have a critical need for novel and life extending therapies."
LP-184 Mechanism and Preclinical Data
LP-184 has demonstrated synthetic lethality when combined with agents that cause DNA damage repair deficiency. Preclinical studies have shown that LP-184 induces double-stranded breaks in the DNA of recurrent GBM cancer cells. The drug's activity is reportedly agnostic to MGMT expression, a DNA repair enzyme often implicated in resistance to temozolomide, the current standard of care for GBM.
Current Clinical Trials
Currently, LP-184 is being studied in a Phase 1A clinical trial (NCT05933265) to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in patients with advanced solid tumors, including GBM. The Phase 1b/2a trial is designed to assess LP-184 as a monotherapy and in combination with spironolactone in patients with recurrent GBM, with endpoints including safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy.
Addressing Unmet Needs in GBM
Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumor with a high mortality rate. The current standard of care therapies result in a life expectancy of less than 15 months for GBM patients. A significant challenge in GBM treatment is the ability of drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and counteract the resistance of GBM cells to temozolomide. No new drugs for GBM have been approved in over two decades, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic options.
Lantern Pharma's AI Platform
Lantern Pharma utilized its AI platform, RADR®, to optimize and advance LP-184. RADR® is designed to validate mechanisms that can be exploited in the clinical setting to eradicate challenging cancers and uncover insights in targeted patient populations. The platform leverages over 100 billion data points to aid in cancer therapy discovery, development, and rescue.
