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Survival
rates for most cancers are steadily increasing thanks to a better understanding
of the underlying mechanisms of cancer and the human body, new drugs, delivery
techniques and improved treatment strategies. Over the past few years,
immunotherapies have been making headlines around the world and it is by some
even believed to be what could finally cure cancer. However, manipulating the
immune system can result in potentially serious side effects, and the big
challenge is to guide the immune cells to attack cancer cells, while leaving
healthy cells alone.
The San
Diego-based startup Aspyrian Therapeutics is developing a first-in-class cancer
treatment, called photoimmunotherapy. Photoimmunotherapy is a new precision targeted
approach invented at National Cancer Institute by Hisataka Kobayashi and Peter
Choyke. It use near-infrared light to activate a toxin attached to monoclonal
antibodies that bind to the surface of tumor cells. This provide the specific
targeting of cancer cells, without damaging the surrounding healthy tissues.
Aspyrian has
secured the exclusive license for the technology from the National Cancer
Institute. Their first product, RM-1929, is currently in clinical phase 1
testing to treat recurrent head and neck cancer. The drug targets a specific
cancer antigen that is highly expressed in carcinomas, not only allowing
treatment of head and neck cancers, but a number of different cancer types,
including esophagus, lung, colon and pancreas. The photoimmunotherapy platform also
work with multiple types of monoclonal antibodies, and it could therefore
enable the targeting of a broad range of cancers.
Photoimmunotherapy
has the potential to transform the standard of care of a number of cancer
areas, solving one of the key challenges of current cancer treatments. The
treatment is highly specific to cancer cells, and the near-infrared light has
caused no detectible phototoxic effect among antibody conjugates that are not
bound to the surface of cancer cells. This could mean a novel first-in-class
targeted treatment platform with minimal side effects, significantly improving
patient outcomes and survival. Its wide applicability, and the exclusive licensing
rights, give Aspyrian the potential of providing cancer patients with new
options to battle and cure the disease.
The startup
recently raised $40 million in Series B financing from the Japanese billionaire,
CEO of Rakuten and a Director of Aspyrian Therapeutics’ board, Hiroshi Mikitani. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate clinical
development of the antibody conjugate RM-1929 in head and neck cancer, and to explore
its use in other cancer types as well.
