- Genprex’s collaborators at MD Anderson reported positive preclinical data for the combination of the TUSC2 gene with an anti-PD1 antibody for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer
- The TUSC2 gene, a tumor suppressor gene, is the active agent in Genprex’s Oncoprex immunogene therapy, the company’s lead drug candidate for the treatment of lung cancer
- In combination with pembrolizumab, the TUSC2 gene significantly slowed tumor growth in mice with human immune cells
- Lung cancer ranks among the malignancies that are expected to increase the most in the coming years, especially among women; immunotherapy solutions may provide an effective option for the treatment of such cancers
Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical stage gene therapy company, reported in a press release that its University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center collaborators have recorded positive preclinical data in a lung cancer treatment study (http://ibn.fm/Uws4i). The results of the study, which analyzed the combination of the TUSC2 gene and anti-PD1 antibody pembrolizumab, were presented in a poster at the 2019 American Association of Cancer Research Meeting. TUCS2 is a tumor suppressor gene and the active agent in Genprex’s Oncoprex immunogene therapy.
The poster data showed that TUCS2 in combination with checkpoint blockade was more effective than checkpoint blockade alone in increasing the survival of mice with human immune cells (humanized mice) that had metastatic lung cancer. TUCS2 in combination with pembrolizumab demonstrated the ability to significantly slow tumor growth.
Genprex is working to bring its lead drug candidate, Oncoprex, to market. According to Genprex CEO and Chairman Rodney Varner, Oncoprex offers a systemic, targeted approach to the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Oncoprex is administered intravenously and absorbed by the tumor cells. It then expresses proteins that are either missing or found in low quantities. Through this mechanism, Oncoprex interrupts the signaling pathways that cause the replication and proliferation of cancer cells.
In addition, Oncoprex modulates the immune response against cancer and re-establishes the pathways for programmed cancer cell death.
Genprex and its collaborators have shown that the company’s patented, targeted nanoparticle delivery system provides up to 25-times greater uptake of the TUCS2 gene in tumor cells than in normal cells. Oncoprex has also shown a favorable safety profile in comparison to other lung cancer treatment options.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of new cancer cases in the U.S. in men is expected to increase by 24 percent by 2020. The increase in women is expected to be 21 percent. The kinds of cancer expected to increase the most include melanoma, prostate and lung cancer (http://ibn.fm/9J744).
New lung cancer cases have been maintaining a steady level among men, but are increasing more rapidly in women. In the period from 2015 to 2030, standardized lung cancer mortality rates among women are expected to increase from 11.2 to 16.0, marking an increase of over 40 percent (http://ibn.fm/w7Ypx).
Due to such developments and scientific advances, the global cancer immunotherapy market is anticipated to reach $152.83 billion by 2024, according to a Research and Markets report (http://ibn.fm/QifFM).
Genprex continues to focus on the development of new treatments for cancer as a part of its mission to develop innovative gene therapy options and improve patient outcomes. The company already has more than 30 issued patents for its platform technologies and gene therapies.
Oncoprex, the company’s lead drug candidate, is an investigational immunogene therapy for non-small cell lung cancer that works by administering cancer fighting genes encapsulated in nanoscale hollow spheres (nanovesicles).
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Genprex.com
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to GNPX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/GNPX
