GENPAT77 licence deal broadens its cancer pipeline

GenPat77, Berlin-based developer of therapies to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer, has acquired worldwide rights to an advanced investigational cancer therapy, GP7.1, from the Charite University of Medicine in Berlin.

GP7.1 has already been evaluated in a pilot clinical study in patients with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that attacks nerve cells and predominantly affects children. Initial results showed that GP7.1 was well tolerated and produced substantially reduced adverse reactions compared with current treatment. In addition, in laboratory tests, potency against several multi-drug resistance models, together with significantly reduced systemic toxicity and improved efficacy in animal models of cancer, has been demonstrated with GP7.1.

"We were attracted by the prospects of GP7.1 as it halts cancer progression via inhibition of topoisomerase, a naturally occurring enzyme involved in the replication of cells, one of the causes of cancer growth and spread in the body. Moreover, it has beneficial effects on multi-drug resistant as well as non-resistant tumours, and was well tolerated in children," said Dr Nal¢n Utku, ceo of GenPat77.

Cancer therapies are often limited in their use by multi-drug resistance. Significant efforts are being made to synthesize new products in an attempt to avoid this problem. GP7.1 could provide an alternative approach in the fight against cancer.

GenPat77 has secured a GMP manufacturing source and assembled an international core group of investigators ahead of initiating the first of a multistage clinical trial process.