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SiVEC's BactPac Platform: Engineered Bacteria Redefining Targeted Drug Delivery for Cancer and Beyond

OncologyTargeted Therapy
  • SiVEC Biotechnologies has developed BactPac, an innovative platform using engineered non-pathogenic bacteria to both produce and deliver therapeutic biologics with precise cellular targeting capabilities.
  • The company's lead asset, SVC-KRAb, delivers circular mRNA to produce nanobodies targeting mutant RAS proteins, reducing tumor volume by over 80% in preclinical studies with clinical trials expected in Q3 2026.
  • BactPac offers significant advantages over conventional delivery systems, including targeted delivery to difficult-to-reach tissues, immune evasion enabling repeat dosing, and simplified manufacturing through bacterial fermentation processes.

Taiwan's Formosa Pharmaceuticals Signs Exclusive Licensing Deal with Almac Discovery for ADC Development

Monoclonal AntibodyTargeted TherapyOncology
  • Taiwan-based Formosa Pharmaceuticals has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Northern Ireland's Almac Discovery to develop novel antibody-drug conjugates for cancer treatment.
  • The partnership combines Formosa's antibody expertise with Almac's proprietary drug-linker technology, aiming to address unmet needs in oncology with more targeted therapeutic approaches.
  • This collaboration represents a significant expansion of Taiwan's growing presence in the global biopharmaceutical sector, particularly in the rapidly evolving ADC market.

Panitumumab Plus FOLFOX Significantly Improves Survival in RAS/BRAF Wild-Type Locally Advanced Colon Cancer

Monoclonal AntibodyTargeted TherapyOncology
  • Exploratory findings from the FOxTROT trial reveal that adding panitumumab to neoadjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy significantly reduced recurrence and improved survival in patients with RAS/BRAF wild-type locally advanced colon cancer.
  • The combination therapy demonstrated impressive results with a 49% reduction in disease-free survival risk (HR, 0.51), 77% reduction in colon cancer death risk (HR, 0.23), and 64% improvement in overall survival (HR, 0.36) compared to FOLFOX alone.
  • These results provide the first evidence that anti-EGFR therapy can improve long-term cancer control in locally advanced colon cancer, validating molecular selection for targeted therapy in non-metastatic disease.

EMERALD Trial Data Reveals Duration of Prior CDK4/6 Inhibitor Therapy as Key Predictor for Elacestrant Success in ESR1-Mutant Breast Cancer

Drug ApprovalTargeted TherapyPrecision Medicine
  • The EMERALD trial demonstrated that patients with ESR1-mutant metastatic breast cancer who received CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy for more than 12 months achieved significantly better outcomes with elacestrant, with median progression-free survival of 8.6 months versus 3.8 months in optimal patients.
  • Elacestrant maintained efficacy across challenging disease presentations including visceral disease, multiple metastatic sites, and even in patients with traditionally poor prognostic factors like p53 mutations.
  • The FDA has approved elacestrant specifically for ESR1-mutant metastatic breast cancer, with new requirements for lipid profile monitoring before treatment initiation and as needed thereafter.

Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals Summit Returns to Europe and US as Industry Momentum Builds

Targeted TherapyOncology
  • The 6th Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals Summit Europe will take place in Amsterdam on December 3-5, featuring 40+ speakers across pre-clinical and clinical tracks as radiopharmaceutical innovation accelerates.
  • Major pharmaceutical companies including Novartis, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Bayer are driving industry growth through billion-dollar collaborations and clinical advancements in novel radiopharmaceutical targets.
  • The 4th Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals Summit US returns to San Diego in July, bringing together 275+ global stakeholders to address key challenges in isotope supply, manufacturing, and clinical translation.

Molecular Testing Advances Personalized Treatment Strategies in Ovarian Cancer

Targeted TherapyDrug Approval
  • Comprehensive biomarker testing in ovarian cancer now includes BRCA1/2, homologous recombination deficiency, HER2 status, and folate receptor alpha expression to guide personalized treatment decisions.
  • Next-generation sequencing is increasingly performed earlier in the disease course to identify actionable targets and support clinical trial enrollment for front-line therapy optimization.
  • Emerging biomarkers beyond BRCA/HRD include tumor-agnostic markers like MSI and TMB for immunotherapy response, and HER2 testing following April 2024 FDA approval of trastuzumab deruxtecan.
  • Novel predictive biomarkers such as KRAS for MEK/FAK inhibitor combinations and CCNE1 amplification associated with platinum resistance are being integrated into treatment planning.

RenovoRx Secures New U.S. Patent for TAMP Therapy Platform, Strengthening IP Portfolio for Targeted Cancer Treatment

OncologyTargeted Therapy
  • RenovoRx received U.S. patent NO. 12,290,564 for "Methods for Treating Tumors," expanding protection of its Trans-Arterial Micro-Perfusion (TAMP) therapy platform through November 2037.
  • The patent covers novel methods for local drug delivery near tumors using the company's FDA-cleared RenovoCath device, marking the ninth U.S. patent in RenovoRx's growing intellectual property portfolio.
  • This patent strengthens commercial protection for RenovoCath as the company scales commercialization efforts and advances its Phase III TIGeR-PaC trial evaluating intra-arterial gemcitabine for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
  • RenovoRx now holds 19 issued patents and 12 pending patents, providing robust IP protection as the company began generating revenue from RenovoCath device sales in December 2024.

Brain Cancer Canada Awards $170K for Two Glioblastoma Research Projects Targeting Treatment Resistance

Targeted Therapy
  • Brain Cancer Canada has awarded $85,000 grants to two separate University of Toronto research teams investigating novel therapeutic approaches for glioblastoma, the most lethal brain cancer with less than 5% five-year survival rates.
  • Dr. Leonardo Salmena's project focuses on targeting microRNAs that regulate glioblastoma stem cells, which drive tumor growth and treatment resistance in this aggressive cancer.
  • Dr. Stéphane Angers' research investigates hypermutant recurrent glioblastoma tumors with MSH6 gene mutations, exploring potential sensitivity to existing antifolate drugs already approved for other conditions.
  • Both projects aim to overcome the significant treatment resistance that characterizes glioblastoma, offering new hope for patients facing this devastating disease.

Evolving Treatment Landscape for EGFR-Mutant NSCLC: Managing Resistance and Optimizing Therapy Sequence

Targeted TherapyOncology
  • Repeat biopsies at disease progression are crucial for identifying resistance mechanisms in EGFR-mutant NSCLC, with MET alterations present in approximately 25-30% of patients and histologic transformation remaining a significant challenge.
  • The MARIPOSA-2 regimen (amivantamab plus chemotherapy), VEGF inhibitors, and emerging antibody-drug conjugates represent key treatment options for patients who progress after initial EGFR-targeted therapy.
  • Despite significant advances in first-line treatment with 25% improvement in overall survival, managing resistance remains the primary challenge, driving ongoing clinical trials like SAVANNAH and ORCHARD to explore novel combinations.

Real-World Study Reveals Biomarker Status Drives Survival and Cost Disparities in Advanced NSCLC

Targeted TherapyPrecision MedicineReal World Evidence
  • A large real-world study of 26,635 advanced NSCLC patients found significant survival differences based on biomarker status, with ALK-positive patients achieving nearly 40 months median survival compared to 12-16 months for those without driver mutations.
  • Medication costs varied substantially by biomarker group, with the average annual treatment cost reaching $120,000 and two-year costs approximately $183,000 across all patients.
  • Patients without driver alterations showed consistently higher "cost per survivor" ratios, requiring about $500,000 to keep one low PD-L1 patient alive for two years versus $363,000 for ALK-positive patients.
  • The findings highlight critical gaps in community biomarker testing, where only 37% of NSCLC patients receive all nine recommended biomarker tests despite 83% having at least one test performed.

Alectinib in Neo-adjuvant Treatment of Stage III NSCLC

NCT05015010Active, Not RecruitingPhase 2
Gruppo Oncologico Italiano di Ricerca Clinica
Posted 5/20/2021

A Study of Osimertinib With or Without Chemotherapy Versus Chemotherapy Alone as Neoadjuvant Therapy for Patients With EGFRm Positive Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

NCT04351555Active, Not RecruitingPhase 3
AstraZeneca
Posted 12/16/2020

A Study Comparing Adjuvant Alectinib Versus Adjuvant Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Patients With ALK Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

NCT03456076Active, Not RecruitingPhase 3
Hoffmann-La Roche
Posted 8/16/2018
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