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Award follows extensive pre-clinical, single agent activity data generated by Prof. Colleen Nelson's lab at QUT in 'Aggressive Variant' prostate cancer models
By integrating our research strengths with SynDevRx's innovative therapeutic approach, we aim to bring new hope to patients facing this late-stage and virtually untreatable disease.” - Prof. Colleen Nelson, PhDCAMBRIDGE, MA, UNITED STATES, January 9, 2025 /EINPresswire / -- Cambridge, MA (USA) and Brisbane (Australia) – Queensland University of
technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia, together with SynDevRx , Inc., a leader in polymer-drug conjugates for cancer and for metabolic dysfunction are honored to announce the receipt of a $1.2 million grant from the US Department of Defense (DoD) for continued research on evexomostat , SynDevRx's novel clinical drug candidate targeting late-stage, androgen receptor pathway inhibitor resistant prostate cancer. More specifically, the research grant will fund both a pilot clinical study and mechanistic research in the lethal form of late-stage prostate cancer referred to as 'Aggressive Variant' (AVPC), including the challenging neuroendocrine tumor phenotype. This award was based on evexomostat's surprisingly potent pre-clinical activity in PDX prostate cancer models.
This grant extends the collaborative research with QUT and SynDevRx encompassing research into the mechanism of action of evexomostat, plus a future pilot clinical study in the AVPC sub-type. The primary aim of the grant is to expand upon the earlier, established pre-clinical data showing efficacy in AVPC models, and to tease out the AVPC context-specific effects of evexomostat. In parallel, a pilot clinical study is planned to establish clinical parameters to enable a Phase II clinical trial design in AVPC with evexomostat.
Professor Colleen Nelson, PhD, leading prostate cancer researcher at QUT, added: "This collaboration with SynDevRx represents a crucial step forward in our quest to unravel the complexities of aggressive variant and neuroendocrine prostate cancer. By integrating our research strengths with SynDevRx's innovative therapeutic approach, we aim to bring new hope to patients facing this late-stage and virtually untreatable disease."
Bradley Carver, CEO of SynDevRx, expressed his enthusiasm about the grant: "We are profoundly grateful for the DoD's support in our joint venture with QUT translational researchers to unravel the mechanisms behind evexomostat's surprising activity in AVPC models. This funding significantly enhances our ability to advance evexomostat into full clinical development for multiple stages of prostate cancer, including ARPI-resistant plus the most serious form of prostate cancer, AVPC."
Evexomostat is being clinically tested in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients ( ) and in HR+/Her2- breast cancer patients ( ), each in combination with their respective standard of care therapies. The intended outcome from this pre-clinical and pilot clinical work is to open a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study in metastatic, aggressive-variant prostate cancer patients.
About Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancer
Aggressive variant prostate cancer (AVPC) is a subset and aggressive form of prostate cancer affecting as many as 17% of prostate cancer patients that includes neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), androgen receptor (AR)-independent prostate cancer, or anaplastic prostate cancer. While historically rare, the incidence of this form of prostate cancer has been increasing rapidly in recent years, likely due to widespread and prolonged use of androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPI) which may help promote the AVPC sub-type. Clinical features of AVPC include low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, visceral metastases, hormone treatment resistance, and a poor prognosis. Genetic mutations commonly seen in AVPC include TP53, RB1 and PTEN. There is no standard treatment for AVPC.
About Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a major Australian university with a global outlook and a 'real-world' focus. With campuses in Brisbane, QUT fosters a research environment that is dedicated to achieving real-world results, making it a leader in scientific, technological, and translational research.
About Evexomostat (SDX-7320)
Evexomostat is a drug conjugate of a novel fumagillin derived small molecule that acts by binding irreversibly to its target enzyme MetAP2, triggering a cascade of downstream effects including anti-angiogenesis, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of new metastases, control of dysregulated metabolic hormones, and reversal of obesity-induced immune suppression within the tumor micro-environment. Evexomostat is being developed for use in combination with clinically indicated standard-of-care cancer therapies for breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other tumor types.
About SynDevRx, Inc.
SynDevRx is a privately held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that is leading the research and development of treatments that address the interactions between cancer and dysregulated metabolic hormones, i.e., metabo-oncology. Obesity, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are known to worsen certain cancer patients' prognoses, but oncologists lack bespoke tools to address this unmet need.
For further information, please contact:
James Shanahan, Chief Business Officer SynDevRx, Inc. Email: ...
James Shanahan
SynDevRx, Inc.
+1 6174013110
email us here
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