Eisbach Bio, a German biotech company, is moving to Houston to further develop its cancer medicine, EIS-12656, aimed at treating solid tumors. This relocation is made possible through a $4.75 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The company has already initiated a clinical trial of EIS-12656 at Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center, with the first patient having undergone treatment in September.
Targeting Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD)
The CPRIT grant will specifically support the second phase of the EIS-12656 trial, which focuses on homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) tumors. HRD occurs when cells lose their ability to repair double-strand DNA breaks, leading to genomic alterations and instability that can contribute to cancerous tumor growth. This deficiency is a biomarker commonly found in advanced stages of ovarian cancer.
Mechanism of Action
EIS-12656 operates by suppressing cancer-related genome reorganization resulting from DNA damage. DNA is constantly undergoing damage and repair, with the homologous recombination repair (HRR) system being one of the critical repair pathways. Genetic mutations, particularly in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, are estimated to cause approximately 10 percent of ovarian cancer cases. Eisbach Bio's approach offers a transformative strategy for treating HRD tumors, potentially improving outcomes for patients with limited treatment options.
CPRIT's Broader Investment
CPRIT highlighted that the funding for Eisbach Bio will bolster the company’s innovative approach to HRD tumor therapy, positioning Texas as a central hub for cutting-edge cancer treatments and broadening clinical options for HRD patients. In addition to the Eisbach Bio grant, CPRIT has also awarded significant funding to recruit researchers to Houston and support other cancer-related projects, including:
- $2 million to recruit Norihiro Goto from MIT to MD Anderson.
- $2 million to recruit Xufeng Chen from NYU to MD Anderson.
- $2 million to recruit Xiangdong Lv from MD Anderson to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
- $9,513,569 to Marker Therapeutics for a Phase 1 study developing T cell-based immunotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer.
- Various grants for cancer screening programs targeting colorectal, cervical, and lung cancer.
