TAE Life Sciences (TLS) has signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) to develop and evaluate novel boron-based drug compounds for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), marking a significant advancement in precision oncology.
This groundbreaking partnership represents the first U.S.-based academic-industry alliance specifically dedicated to accelerating BNCT drug innovation and translational research. The collaboration aims to optimize boron delivery agents to unlock BNCT's full potential as a powerful, highly selective, and relatively non-toxic cancer therapy.
Pioneering BNCT Drug Development
The initial focus of the collaboration will be the preclinical evaluation of TLS's proprietary boron-10 drugs in cellular and animal models. This work will leverage Ohio State's specialized neutron source, which is optimized for BNCT research. Simultaneously, the teams will pursue joint development of next-generation boron drugs for BNCT and adjacent applications, potentially opening new avenues in precision cancer treatment.
Dr. Arnab Chakravarti, Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology, Klotz Family Chair of Cancer Research, and Director of the Brain Tumor Program at Ohio State, emphasized the significance of this partnership: "We are entering a pivotal moment in cancer therapy. BNCT offers an unprecedented opportunity to treat malignancies that are otherwise unresponsive to conventional therapies, while sparing healthy tissue. Our laboratory is uniquely poised to lead this next wave of boron drug innovation, and we are excited to collaborate with TAE Life Sciences in accelerating this effort on a global scale."
Positioning the U.S. as a Leader in BNCT Innovation
Robert Hill, CEO of TAE Life Sciences, described the collaboration as "a major leap forward for the future of BNCT." He noted that the partnership with Dr. Chakravarti and his team will be instrumental in advancing the science behind novel boron drug compounds and paving the way toward potential regulatory approval.
Hill further explained that this alliance establishes a key pillar for accelerator-based BNCT and will significantly accelerate the path to breakthrough cancer therapies. The partnership aims to position the United States as a leader in the next wave of innovation in precision oncology.
Building on International Success
The collaboration builds upon a growing body of international clinical evidence, particularly from Japan, Taiwan, and Europe, which validates BNCT's ability to deliver durable responses in patients with otherwise untreatable cancers.
BNCT represents a promising approach to cancer treatment that combines the precision of targeted drug delivery with the power of radiation therapy. The therapy works by delivering boron compounds selectively to cancer cells, which are then irradiated with low-energy neutrons. This triggers a nuclear reaction that destroys cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
By focusing on developing more effective boron delivery agents, the TLS-Ohio State partnership aims to enhance BNCT's efficacy and expand its applications across various cancer types. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in establishing the United States as a leading force in advanced drug development and the next wave of precision medicine in oncology.
