ANXA1

A new study highlights the effectiveness of MDX-124, the first therapeutic drug to target annexin-A1, a protein which is overexpressed in several cancer types and promotes tumor progression. A new study published in Nature's cancer journal Oncogene highlights the effectiveness of MDX-124, the first therapeutic drug to target annexin-A1, a protein which is overexpressed in several cancer types and promotes tumour progression. The research was led by Professor Chris Parris and Dr Hussein Al-Ali at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in collaboration with Professor Chris Pepper of Brighton and Sussex Medical School and UK biotech company Medannex, which has produced the MDX-124 monoclonal antibody therapy. High annexin-A1 expression levels correlate with poorer overall survival in various cancers that currently have limited treatment options, including triple-negative breast, pancreatic, colorectal and prostate cancers. The new study found that MDX-124, which is being developed for use in immunotherapy, significantly reduces proliferation across a number of human cancer cell lines expressing annexin-A1. This anti-proliferative effect is instigated by stopping cell cycle progression. Additionally, MDX-124 is shown to significantly inhibit tumour growth in in vivo models of triple-negative breast and pancreatic cancer, indicating that annexin-A1-targeted therapy represents a viable and innovative approach to cancer treatment. The phase Ib clinical study of MDX-124, called ATTAINMENT, is currently underway to establish the safety and optimum dose of the novel therapy. Its clinical efficacy will then be evaluated in newly-diagnosed cancer patients, in combination with current appropriate treatments. Professor Chris Parris, Head of School of Life Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: "We know that the protein annexin-A1 activates formyl peptide receptors to initiate a complex network of intracellular signalling pathways, which can lead to numerous cellular responses, including tumour initiation and progression. "We have demonstrated in this new study that using MDX-124 can reduce cell growth in annexin-A1-expressing cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo, providing further evidence that annexin-A1 is a valid target for therapy in cancer." Medannex Director of Scientific Operations, Dr Fiona Dempsey, who co-authored the paper, said: "We are delighted to publish this work with our collaborators demonstrating the anti-cancer potential of our innovative antibody therapeutic and look forward to the clinical data coming out of the ATTAINMENT study in due course."

HOLTE, Denmark, Nov. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ResoTher Pharma, a biotech company focused on developing life-saving options for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease, today announced that the company has received a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) to support the development of the company's Lead Compound, RTP-026, in a Phase 2a clinical study in Myocardial Infarction. The project focusing on development of Resother Pharmas RTP-026 compound is one of 47 projects selected to receive funding out of 648 full proposals submitted for evaluation to the EIC-accelerator program. The grant given to ResoTher Pharma is defined as a "Grant first," meaning that the project will be considered for further support by the European Investment Bank upon completion of the Phase 2a study supported by the current grant. "The EIC Grant is a major boost to our RTP-026 development program," says Anders Kronborg, CEO of ResoTher Pharma. "It has made it possible to focus entirely on development, thereby accelerating the Phase 2a development path with the aim to initiate dosing in Q1 2024." RTP-026 is developed as a new and innovative way to modulate the inflammatory response that occurs in the heart during the recovery phase of a myocardial infarction. Especially in the subset of patients showing high inflammatory activity, there is a need for novel treatments to reduce the risk of reinfarction and other major cardiovascular events. Following the completion of Phase 1 development, RTP-026 is ready to enter Phase 2a development with the aim of testing the potential of the compounds to modulate the hyperinflammatory response of the heart in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with the aim to reestablish blood supply in patients with acute myocardial infarction. In Phase 1 development conducted in healthy volunteers, the compound showed a very good safety profile when given as a single dose or in repeated dosing, with very good plasma exposure indicating a good safety profile relative to what is expected to be relevant exposure levels in patients. The RTP-026 compound, an IP-protected analogue of the N-terminus of the Annexin A1 protein, is developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London. The compound was designed and characterized in Professor Mauro Petretti's laboratory at the William Harvey Research Institute. The continued Phase 2 development, where the first step will be a Phase 2a dose range study to focus on safety and efficacy in a subset of high-risk ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction patients undergoing acute percutaneous coronary intervention will include active recruitment of patients at the Barts Heart Centre at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, one of Europe's biggest coronary departments in London. "The EIC grant has made it possible to proceed with Phase 2 development at Barts Heart Centre of a compound designed and characterized at Queen Mary. This important partnership demonstrates how our cutting-edge research in translational Pharmacology in the inflammatory and cardiovascular field moves from the lab to improving better health outcomes in East London and beyond," says Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, MD, Vice Principal for Health, Queen Mary University of London, Director of the NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre. "Resother Pharma previously received non-diluting funding from the Danish Innovation Fund and from Barts Charity, and continued collaboration with William Harvey Research Institute, a world-leading translational Pharmacology institute at Queen Mary University of London, has been highly valued," says Anders Kronborg, CEO of ResoTher Pharma. About ResoTher Pharma ResoTher Pharma is a Danish privately held clinical-stage biotech company, focusing on the development of compounds that induce inflammatory resolution in cardiovascular diseases. The company was founded in 2016 with the aim of developing compounds with the ability to promote pharmacological resolution in cardiovascular diseases. The company is privately owned by a group of prominent Danish investors. The company was founded by board member Jeppe Øvlesen and the head of the Scientific Advisory Board, Thomas Jonassen, MD. The co-inventor of the company's lead compound, RTP-026, Professor Mauro Perretti, is also a shareholder in the company. Mode of action of RTP-026: Upon formyl peptide type 2 receptor stimulation the RTP-026 compound induces a combination of anti-inflammatory and pre-resolving effects which in experimental models of myocardial infarction has profound effect not only on reducing the infarction size compared to placebo treatment, but importantly to restore cardiac function to a pre-infarction level. For more information, please contact Anders Kronborg, CEO [email protected] +4531516343 Or visit or follow us on LinkedIn. Logo - SOURCE ResoTher Pharma ApS