Hummelstown, PA (February 25, 2015) – Oncoceutics, Inc. announced the publication of a second article in the journal Cancer Research. This new research article, which follows an article published last week on biomarkers and combination therapies, describes the ability of ONC201 to target colorectal cancer stem cells.
These findings suggest that ONC201 could improve treatment response and ultimately prolong patient survival because colorectal cancer stem cells play a significant role in tumor maintenance and disease relapse. Furthermore, cancer stem cells are not responsive to most chemotherapies and so new therapies that can deplete these special cells are needed to result in complete cures.
“The ability to target cancer stem cells, which is demonstrated for ONC201 in these studies, is an important property of any oncology therapeutic,” said Joshua Allen, PhD, VP-Development of Oncoceutics and co-author of the article. “Depletion of cancer stem cells is expected to lead to more durable responses and fewer disease relapses in the clinic.”
“ONC201-induced depletion of multiple CSC markers in colorectal cancer cell lines and mouse xenograft tumors increases the potential of ONC201 to prolong disease-free survival in the clinic,” commented Wafik El-Deiry, MD, PhD, FACP, Professor, Co-Program Leader of Molecular Therapeutics, Deputy Cancer Center Director for Translational Research at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Scientific Founder of Oncoceutics and senior author of the article. “This is yet another endorsement of the robust anti-tumor activity of ONC201 that addresses critical shortcomings of our current chemotherapies and targeted therapies.”
These articles are part of Oncoceutics’ effort to publish in leading scientific journals results that demonstrate the excellent safety profile and promising efficacy profile of ONC201.
The link to the article is available here.
About Fox Chase Cancer Center
Fox Chase Cancer Center, part of the Temple University Health System, is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center’s nursing program has received the Magnet status for excellence four consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. For more information, visit Fox Chase’s web site at www.foxchase.org or call 1-888-FOX CHASE or (1-888-369-2427).
About Oncoceutics
Oncoceutics, Inc. is a drug discovery and development company targeting the most potent suppressor pathways in human cancer. The first lead compound to result from this program is ONC201, a small molecule drug with a unique mechanism of action that causes significant anti-tumor activity in a variety of types of human cancer. The Company is currently enrolling patients in clinical trials of ONC201, which began in January 2015, following acceptance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ONC201 in 2014. Oncoceutics and collaborative groups have received approximately $5 million in grants over the last two years from the National Institutes of Health, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and The Musella Foundation, and the company has leveraged additional funding from academic medical research partners that support multiple Phase I/II Clinical trials. Visit Oncoceuticsfor more information.
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