“We’re excited to test this drug, SDX-7320, in these models of cancers accelerated by obesity,” lead investigator Michaela Reagan, PhD, said. “Obesity changes the composition of the blood and bone marrow, making it more conducive for multiple myeloma cells to develop or proliferate.”
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (PRWEB)
August 03, 2021
SynDevRx, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company leading the development of treatments for obesity-accelerated cancers, today announced a research collaboration with Maine Medical Center Research Institute’s Michaela Reagan, PhD. The collaboration will study the role of MetAP2 in obesity-accelerated growth and metastatic potential of multiple myeloma – a form of cancer that develops in bone marrow.
Obesity and systemic metabolic dysfunction are known to make many solid tumors more aggressive, but the connection goes beyond that: multiple myeloma (MM) and several other cancers are also accelerated by systemic issues brought on by obesity, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes. MetAP2 inhibitors, such as SDX-7320, have been shown to improve systemic metabolic hormone dysregulation and they demonstrate anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic properties. It’s this combination of attributes that targets the link between obesity and cancer which may prove well-suited to treat MM in combination with standard-of-care therapies.
“We’re excited to test this drug, SDX-7320, in these models of cancers accelerated by obesity,” lead investigator Michaela Reagan, PhD, said. “Obesity changes the composition of the blood and bone marrow, making it more conducive for multiple myeloma cells to develop or proliferate. High fat cell content in this tumor environment seems to facilitate the progression of MM using a variety of mechanisms, many of which we are still investigating pre-clinically.”
Dr. Reagan’s lab focuses on understanding the roles that fat cells (adipocytes), bone cells and other cells in the bone marrow play in mediating the progression of multiple myeloma. In addition to local bone marrow interactions, Dr. Reagan explores metabolic and systemic effects that may drive myeloma disease progression, and she is exploring ways to interfere with that process.
“Maine Medical Center, and Dr. Reagan in particular, have some of the best models for illustrating the effects obesity has on the microenvironment of multiple myeloma,” noted SynDevRx Sr. Director of Translational Research, Dr. Peter Cornelius, PhD. “We’re very excited to work with Dr. Reagan on testing the potential beneficial effects that MetAP2 inhibition could play in these validated models.”
“SynDevRx is establishing collaborations globally with leading research institutions focused on the effects that obesity and dysregulated metabolic hormones have on cancer progression and lethality. We invite other researchers to work with us as we untangle these complex and critical aspects of cancer treatment,” commented SynDevRx’s co-founder and Chief Business Officer James Shanahan.
About SDX-7320:
SynDevRx believes that SDX-7320 is the first drug being developed specifically for cancer patients with metabolic complications, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood glucose or HbA1c, pre-diabetes or insulin/leptin resistance. For certain tumor types, metabolic hormones stimulate oncogenic pathways, making the cancer more aggressive and deadlier. SDX-7320 acts by binding irreversibly to its target enzyme MetAP2, triggering downstream improvements in the metabolic hormones insulin, leptin and adiponectin, improvements in key lipids, and inhibition of the important angiogenic proteins bFGF and VEGF-C, as was demonstrated in a Phase 1 clinical study in late-stage cancer patients. In preclinical studies, SDX-7320 inhibited multiple cell cycle signaling pathways, provided synergistic anti-tumor effects in combination with a PI3K inhibitor, reduced angiogenesis, controlled aberrant metabolic hormone signaling, and reversed obesity-induced immune suppression within the tumor micro-environment of tumor-bearing obese mice. SDX-7320 is being developed for use in combination with clinically indicated standard-of-care cancer therapies for breast and prostate cancers.
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 tumor energy metabolism. – i.e., metabo-oncology. Obesity, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are known to worsen certain cancer patients’ prognosis, but oncologists have no specific tools to treat systemic or treatment-induced metabolic complications, except for diet and exercise. SynDevRx is initiating a series of proof-of-concept clinical studies of its drug candidate SDX-7320 to show that improving these hormones together with effects on angiogenesis and the tumor micro-environment, will result in better patient outcomes, thereby establishing a new and complimentary treatment paradigm. SDX-7320 is being developed for use in combination with standard of care therapies for solid tumors, including breast and prostate. http://www.syndevrx.com
About Maine Medical Center Research Institute
Maine Medical Center Research Institute supports and encourages a broad spectrum of research at Maine Medical Center ranging from basic laboratory-based research through translational research, which works to apply basic discoveries to medical problems, to clinical research, which studies the direct application of new drugs, devices and treatment protocols to patients, to health services research which seeks to use research methods to help improve and evaluate health care delivery programs and new technologies. https://mmcri.org/
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