AccuTOX Enhances and Synergizes with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Defence Therapeutics Inc., a Canadian biopharmaceutical firm situated in Vancouver, British Columbia, has announced a breakthrough with its innovative product, Accum-002TM, also known as AccuTOX®. This product exhibits dual functionality by acting as both a tumor-killing agent and an immune system booster. AccuTOX® works synergistically with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and the patient's own immune system.

ICIs have shown promising results in treating solid tumors, but the overall response rate remains low for some patients. For instance, only about 20% of melanoma patients exhibit a complete or partial response to ICI treatments. This low response is attributed to a cold tumor environment, which hampers the immune system's ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. Cold tumors are characterized by a low level of immune cell infiltration, reducing the immune system's effectiveness in targeting tumors.

The scientific and medical communities are focused on overcoming this resistance by transforming cold tumors into hot tumors. Hot tumors are more susceptible to ICI treatment and immune system attacks. Defence Therapeutics’ AccuTOX® has proven to be effective in exploiting this vulnerability. It recruits immune cells and enhances tumor recognition by the immune system, complementing the action of ICIs. Unlike its competitors, AccuTOX® not only recruits but also activates various immune cells, converting cold tumors into highly recognizable and attackable hot tumors. These immune cells are crucial for tumor regression when combined with ICI and other immunotherapy treatments.

AccuTOX® effectively acts as a sophisticated spotlight, equipped with specialized tools to help the immune system identify, focus on, and attack cancerous tumors. The product has demonstrated its ability to independently induce cancer cell death and transform cold tumors into hot tumors, making them more recognizable and destructible by the immune system.

Moreover, AccuTOX® has the potential to enhance the efficacy of ICI treatments for patients who already respond positively to such therapies. By doing so, it can increase the number of patients eligible for ICI treatments, thereby expanding the market for existing ICIs. Defence Therapeutics sees AccuTOX® as a strong candidate to enhance the therapeutic value of ICIs and is open to partnerships and collaborations to explore this potential.

Defence Therapeutics' scientific team has conducted multiple in vivo preclinical studies demonstrating that AccuTOX® significantly boosts the effectiveness of various ICIs, such as anti-PD1, anti-CD47, anti-LAG3, and anti-CTLA4, by at least tenfold. The PD1/PDL1 market, which is primarily used in Defence's preclinical studies, is projected to grow from USD 36.4 billion in 2023 to USD 139.7 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.3% during this period.

The global market for immune checkpoint inhibitors was valued at USD 40.1 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 189.4 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 16.8% from 2023 to 2032. The primary factor driving this market growth is the increasing global prevalence of cancer.

In summary, Defence Therapeutics is at the forefront of developing next-generation vaccines and ADC products using its proprietary ACCUM® technology. This technology aims to deliver vaccine antigens or ADCs precisely inside target cells, enhancing their processing and activity, thereby increasing efficacy against diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases.