Cantargia's Novel Anti-IL1RAP Antibody-Drug Conjugate Shows Promising Preclinical Efficacy Against Cancer
• Cantargia's anti-IL1RAP antibody-drug conjugate demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity across different IL1RAP expression levels in preclinical models, with a single dose achieving 100% survival in high-expressing tumors.
• The ADC targets IL1RAP, a protein overexpressed in many tumor cells and their microenvironment, providing a dual-targeting approach that could potentially improve cancer treatment outcomes.
• Preclinical safety data showed the ADC was well-tolerated with no significant changes in body weight, liver and kidney enzyme levels, or histological abnormalities in assessed organs.
PLT012 Receives FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Liver and Bile Duct Cancers
• Pilatus Biosciences' PLT012 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancers (HCC/ICCA).
• PLT012, a humanized anti-CD36 antibody, employs a dual mechanism to disarm immunosuppressive cells and enhance effector T cell functions within the tumor microenvironment.
• The Orphan Drug Designation provides Pilatus Biosciences with development incentives, including tax credits and marketing exclusivity, to accelerate PLT012's clinical development.
• PLT012 is slated for its first U.S. IND submission and patient dosing in 2025, showing significant anti-tumor efficacy in preclinical models, both as a monotherapy and in combination therapies.
FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to Pilatus Biosciences' PLT012 for Liver and Bile Duct Cancer
• Pilatus Biosciences' PLT012, a humanized anti-CD36 antibody, has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA).
• PLT012 targets metabolic checkpoints in the tumor microenvironment, aiming to reprogram immune responses and enhance anti-tumor immunity in both immune 'hot' and 'cold' tumors.
• The Orphan Drug Designation provides Pilatus Biosciences with development incentives, including tax credits and potential marketing exclusivity, to accelerate PLT012's clinical development.
• PLT012 is slated for its first U.S. IND submission and first patient dosing in 2025, with preclinical data demonstrating synergistic effects when combined with immune checkpoint blockade therapies.
CAR-T Cell Therapy with On/Off Switch Shows Promise in Preclinical Studies
• Researchers have developed a novel CAR-T cell therapy that can be controlled with existing oral drugs, offering an on/off switch for enhanced safety and efficacy.
• The engineered CAR-T cells are activated by venetoclax to target cancer cells and deactivated by lenalidomide, both FDA-approved drugs.
• Preclinical studies demonstrate the potential for improved safety and reduced T cell exhaustion, paving the way for clinical trials in solid tumors.
• This innovative approach addresses challenges in treating solid tumors with CAR-T therapy by enabling remote control of CAR-T cell activity.
AI-Powered NeoDisc Pipeline Accelerates Personalized Cancer Vaccine Development
• Researchers have developed NeoDisc, an AI-enabled computational pipeline integrating multi-omics data for personalized cancer vaccine development.
• NeoDisc identifies and prioritizes tumor-specific antigens, enhancing the accuracy of selecting effective targets for immunotherapies.
• The pipeline addresses limitations in current methods by incorporating genomic, transcriptomic, and immunopeptidomic data.
• NeoDisc is currently being used in Phase I clinical trials for personalized cancer vaccines and adoptive T cell therapies.
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