TAE Life Sciences and CNAO Finalize Agreement on BNCT Cancer Therapy

TAE Life Sciences (TLS), a pioneer in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) development, has entered into an influential partnership with the Italian National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO), a top-tier European hadrontherapy facility. This collaboration aims to advance global drug research and development for BNCT, an innovative radiation therapy that targets complex and metastatic cancers more effectively. By combining CNAO's vast expertise in particle therapies, including protons and carbon ions, with TLS's leadership in BNCT technology, the partnership seeks to transform cancer treatment.

BNCT is a sophisticated cancer treatment that employs neutron radiation alongside a specific boron compound to precisely attack cancer cells. The treatment involves administering a boron-rich compound to the patient, typically via injection or infusion, which is selectively absorbed by cancer cells while sparing normal tissues. Following absorption, the patient is exposed to a beam of low-energy neutrons that interact with the boron atoms in the cancer cells, ultimately destroying them.

In a previously established agreement in late 2020, CNAO committed to adopting the BNCT system and installing an accelerator-based neutron source in Italy. With the new agreement, the collaboration extends to drug development, reinforcing the shared commitment to pioneering cancer treatment advancements.

Professor Gianluca Vago, President of CNAO, expressed the institution's dedication to expanding cancer treatment options using cutting-edge technologies. He emphasized the significance of the partnership with TLS, highlighting CNAO's role in clinical and research activities involving particle therapies. The collaboration will involve close cooperation with several prestigious Italian institutions, including the University of Pavia and the Polytechnic University of Milan, among others. This partnership aims to establish CNAO as a unique facility globally that can offer combined treatments using protons, heavy ions, and neutrons.

The partnership sets forth several milestones and objectives, starting with the installation of TLS's Alphabeam BNCT system at CNAO, anticipated to commence in 2025. Clinical trials are scheduled to begin in 2026, focusing initially on recurrent head and neck cancers using Steboronine® (Boronophenylalanine, BPA), a boron drug approved in Japan, distributed by TLS in Europe and the U.S. The trials will explore expanding BNCT's clinical applications to a broader range of cancers, offering new hope to patients worldwide.

The collaboration also aims to promote CNAO NEXT's range of services. CNAO NEXT, an independent company established by CNAO, specializes in precision therapies, offering technical and clinical consultancy to assist other centers in implementing particle therapies. An essential aspect of the partnership is the clinical implementation and commercialization of new TLS BNCT drugs, such as Boronotyrosine (BTS), which has demonstrated promising preclinical results.

Rob Hill, CEO of TAE Life Sciences, stated that the partnership with CNAO marks a transformative step in advancing BNCT as a next-generation cancer therapy. He emphasized the shared goal of pushing the boundaries of cancer treatment to provide groundbreaking solutions to patients in need.

Furthermore, Professor Lisa Licitra, a leading oncologist in head and neck oncology, has joined the TLS Clinical Advisory Board. She will oversee the BNCT clinical trials at CNAO, focusing on head and neck cancer, further solidifying the partnership's scientific foundation. Professor Licitra highlighted the potential of BNCT to offer new hope for patients with metastatic tumors, emphasizing the goal to provide increasingly customized therapeutic options using a diverse range of particles, including protons, carbon ions, and neutrons.

TAE Life Sciences remains committed to developing biologically targeted radiation therapies based on BNCT, aiming to provide precise cancer treatment options for aggressive and refractory cancers. Meanwhile, CNAO continues its mission to lead in providing advanced cancer therapies, contributing significantly to improving cancer care through research and international collaborations.