Biotech Fights Increasing Young Adult Colorectal Cancer

VANCOUVER, BC, May 28, 2024 – Recent observations from Yale Medicine indicate a troubling increase in colorectal and anal cancer rates among young adults, with the situation further complicated by a global rise in HIV diagnoses, particularly among women. Improved testing access has led to a 4.2% climb in HIV cases in the EU and a staggering 120% increase in Montreal, Canada. The intersection of these diseases, especially among younger populations, has driven biotechnology companies to enhance cancer treatment methodologies.

Biotech Companies Leading the Fight

Leading the charge against these cancers are companies like Oncolytics Biotech Inc., TScan Therapeutics Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, PDS Biotechnology Corporation, and C4 Therapeutics Inc. Their focus has been on developing groundbreaking immunotherapies and other innovative treatments to combat these diseases.

Oncolytics Biotech's Promising Developments

Among the notable advancements is pelareorep, a key asset of Oncolytics Biotech Inc., which received its second FDA fast track designation 14 months ago. Recently, Oncolytics expanded the enrollment for its GOBLET study, examining pelareorep combined with atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) in patients with advanced anal cancer. The expansion follows positive data from an earlier phase of the study, which demonstrated a 37.5% response rate, a significant improvement over traditional therapies.

Dr. Dirk Arnold, the primary investigator of the GOBLET trial, expressed optimism about the study's expansion, which aims to validate the pelareorep/atezolizumab combination's efficacy. Oncolytics plans to extend the study by fewer than 20 patients, hoping to solidify the positive efficacy signals and pave the way for future registrational studies.

TScan Therapeutics' Innovative Approach

TScan Therapeutics Inc. is also making strides with its TSC-200-A0201 therapy, currently in Phase I trials targeting HPV16-related anal cancer. CEO Gavin MacBeath highlighted the company's progress, noting the clearance of four T cell receptors (TCRs) and the regulatory approval to treat patients sequentially in their Phase 1 study. The company anticipates initial clinical data on both singleplexed and multiplexed therapies in 2024.

Bristol-Myers Squibb's Groundbreaking Findings

In January, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company reported promising results from its CheckMate -8HW clinical trial. The study revealed that Opdivo (nivolumab) combined with Yervoy (ipilimumab) significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 79% in patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer, compared to chemotherapy.

Dana Walker, a senior vice president at Bristol Myers Squibb, emphasized that these findings showcase the transformative potential of their therapies in shifting survival expectations for cancer patients.

PDS Biotechnology's Expanding Pipeline

PDS Biotechnology Corporation is advancing its PDS-01ADC therapy, aimed at treating various metastatic solid tumors, including colorectal and anal cancer. The company shared encouraging interim safety and immune response data for its Phase 1/2 clinical trial involving metastatic prostate cancer patients, with notable declines in Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) levels.

CEO Frank Bedu-Addo expressed enthusiasm about the progress, pointing out the therapy's potential to overcome safety and efficacy limitations associated with existing cytokine treatments.

C4 Therapeutics' Anticipated Milestones

C4 Therapeutics Inc. is set for significant milestones with its CFT1946 asset in 2024. The company plans to present preclinical data on its effectiveness against BRAF V600X melanoma and colorectal cancer, among others, and report findings from its ongoing Phase 1 trial in the latter half of the year. CFT1946, which targets BRAF-driven cancers, has demonstrated promising activity in preclinical models.

Adam Crystal, Chief Medical Officer of C4 Therapeutics, highlighted the therapy's potential to offer deeper and more durable responses compared to current BRAF inhibitors, marking a significant step for patients with BRAF V600 mutant cancers.

These advancements underscore the biotech sector's critical role in developing innovative treatments for cancer and associated diseases, offering hope for improved outcomes and new therapeutic options for patients worldwide.

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