ProteinQure Announces A Breakthrough Therapeutic with Remarkable Efficacy in Heterogenous Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer to be presented at AACR

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 25, 2024 / ProteinQure, the leading startup in the computational design of peptide drugs, announces a significant breakthrough in the fight against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The novel Peptide Drug Conjugate (PDC) designed by ProteinQure demonstrated exceptional efficacy in a comprehensive suite of Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) models. The experiments were conducted in the lab of Dr. David Cescon at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, one of the world's top five cancer research centres.

Developed through ProteinQure's cutting-edge computational platform, the innovative SORT1 targeting PDC is a novel peptide attached to a highly potent chemotherapeutic agent. The drug candidate was tested across a broad range of breast cancer models. The results demonstrated remarkable antitumor efficacy, including cancers resistant to standard chemotherapies and antibody-drug conjugates.

"Working with the David Cescon Lab at UHN has been instrumental in validating our novel PDC's efficacy against one of the most challenging forms of breast cancer. Based on these results, we are moving our lead program forward into IND-Enabling studies and our first clinical trial," said Lucas Siow, CEO of ProteinQure. "These findings not only highlight the power of our computational drug design platform but also represent significant validation in our quest to develop tissue-specific peptides for targeted drug delivery."

ProteinQure's collaborators will present the data at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conference in San Diego. The AACR conference, renowned for showcasing the latest innovations in cancer research, provides the perfect stage to share these findings with the global cancer research community.

"We are excited to present this data at AACR and help develop new therapeutic options for breast cancer, especially with promising Canadian startups," stated Dr. David Cescon, head of the lab at UHN. "The success of this unique PDC in diverse PDX models is a testament to the potential of combining advanced computational techniques, precision oncology, and our labs' robust preclinical platform".

Funding for parts of this work included contributions from IRAP-Canada and the INOVAIT program based out of Sunnybrook Hospital.

Poster Presentation Details:

Title: In-vivo efficacy of a novel peptide-conjugated drug in patient-derived xenograft models of breast cancer
Session Title: New Targets
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 9, at 1:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. ET
Abstract Number: 5911
Speaker: Mitchell Elliott, UHN Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

About ProteinQure

ProteinQure is a pioneering startup specializing in the computational design of peptide drugs utilizing state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and molecular simulation technologies. With a focus on precision medicine, ProteinQure is dedicated to transforming the landscape of drug development and ushering in a new era of targeted effective treatments.

About the David Cescon Lab at UHN

The David Cescon Lab at the University Health Network is a leader in breast cancer research, focusing on the mechanisms of cancer progression and resistance to therapy. Through cutting-edge pre-clinical and clinical research and collaborations, the lab develops novel therapeutic strategies aimed at improving outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.

For further information, please contact:

Lucas Siow - CEO of ProteinQure - press@proteinqure.com

SOURCE: ProteinQure Inc.