Melbourne, Australia; 8 March 2011: Patrys Limited (ASX: PAB), which is developing a new class of antibody molecules for the treatment of cancer, is pleased to announce growing support in the international biotechnology community for PAT-SM6’s targeting of GRP78 on the surface of cancer cells as a potential break-through treatment.
PAT-SM6 is a natural human antibody that has shown great promise as a potential treatment for multiple types of cancer including melanoma; importantly, it is the first reported clinical product to target a protein on the surface of cancer cells called GRP78 that plays a number of key roles in cancer cell survival, growth and metastases.
PAT-SM6 is currently being evaluated in a human clinical trial targeting patients with melanoma.
In the first quarter of 2011 alone, multiple independent reports have been published that highlighted and expanded upon the key role of GRP78 in cancer and the attractiveness of the target for cancer therapy.
Among other findings, researchers in the U.S., Europe and Asia reported the following:
- GRP78 plays a critical role in tumour progression, metastasis and resistance to therapy, and as a result the finding of GRP78 on the surface of cancer but not normal cells represents a paradigm shift in the form of cancer-specific treatment (Biochemical Journal).
- GRP78 is expressed abundantly in various types of cancer cells and targeting GRP78 confers sensitisation of cancer cells to chemotherapy (Oncology Reports).
- High GRP78 expression correlated with a poorer outcome for glioblastoma (a malignant tumour of the central nervous system) patients. These findings indicate that GRP78 plays an important role in astrocytoma (brain) malignancy, whereas its cell surface localisation may be attractive for clinical utilisation (Brain Research).
- In the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (rarest of the non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas), GRP78 cancer cell pre-treatment led to synergistic induction of apoptotic cancer cell death when combined with Velcade, a billion dollar marketed proteasome inhibitor in patients otherwise resistant to such treatment (Blood).
Full citations for these reports are included below.
Patrys’ Vice President, of R&D, Dr. Frank Hensel, commented: “While our own data provided substantial support for targeting GRP78 for the treatment of cancer, it is obviously very important to have that data supported and expanded upon by independent researchers, in this case on a global scale.”
“Importantly, based on our searches of clinical trial databases, Patrys is in a very strong competitive position having the only known product in clinical trials targeting GRP78.”
PAT-SM6 and the GRP78 disease target are protected by numerous patent applications filed by Patrys.
As mentioned, PAT-SM6 is currently being evaluated in a human clinical trial involving patients with melanoma. The clinical trial’s main goal is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of PAT-SM6 in melanoma patients. Multiple secondary endpoints are aimed at measuring the anti-tumour activity of PAT-SM6. All results are expected to be finalised and reported by June of 2011.
Melanoma is a very serious global medical problem, with an expected doubling of incidence every 15 years. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, where nearly 10,000 cases are diagnosed each year. Current treatments for metastatic melanoma are largely ineffective, resulting in a five year survival rate of just 16%.
For further information, please contact:
Patrys Limited: Daniel Devine Chief Executive Officer P: +61 3 9670 3273 info@patrys.com
Patrys Media and Investors: Rebecca Wilson (IR) Tom Donovan (Media) Buchan Consulting P: +61 3 9866 4722 rwilson@bcg.com.au egodfrey@bcg.com.au
Literature Citations:
Ni M, Zhang Y, Lee AS. Beyond the endoplasmic reticulum: atypical GRP78 in cell viability, signalling and therapeutic targeting. Biochemical Journal, 2011; 434(2):181-8.
Suzuki T, Lu J, Hu G, Kita K, Suzuki N. Retrovirus-mediated transduction of a short hairpin RNA gene for GRP78 fails to down regulate GRP78 expression but leads to cisplatin sensitization in HeLa cells. Oncology Reports. 2011; 25(3):879-85.
Zhang LH, Yang XL, Zhang X, Cheng JX, Zhang W. Association of elevated GRP78 expression with increased astrocytoma malignancy via Akt and ERK pathways. Brain Research. 2011; 1371:23-31.
Roué G, Pérez-Galán P, Mozos A, López-Guerra M, Xargay-Torrent S, Rosich L, Saborit-Villarroya I, Normant E, Campo E, Colomer D. The Hsp90 inhibitor IPI-504 overcomes bortezomib resistance in mantle cell lymphoma in vitro and in vivo by down-regulation of the prosurvival ER chaperone BiP/Grp78. Blood. 2011; 117(4):1270-9.
TOM DONOVAN
Account Executive Buchan Consulting Business Strategy | Communication | Public Policy
MELBOURNE: PHONE: +61 3 9866 4722 MOBILE: 0422 557 107 FAX: +61 3 9867 1716
