OncoSynergy, a patient-focused biotech startup founded by physicians trained in neurosurgery has opened enrollment in their phase 1 trial which will study OS2966, a novel therapeutic antibody, for treatment of glioblastoma.  The trial will take place at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida under the leadership of Michael Vogelbaum, MD, PhD.

 

OS2966 inhibits Beta1 integrin (CD29), a critical receptor responsible for integrating cancer promoting signals and driving cancer growth and spread.  Studies have demonstrated that resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy (i.e., bevacizumab) is associated with increased expression of Beta1 integrin.  OncoSynergy studied OS2966 in animal models implanted with patient tumor samples that had become resistant to treatment with bevacizumab.  These studies revealed that OS2966 prevented the ability of bevacizumab-resistant tumor cells to invade the surrounding brain and resulted in significant tumor cell death (Carbonell et al, 2013).  

 

Despite advancement of several new promising cancer treatments, successful treatment of glioblastoma has been limited by the presence of the brain’s protective blood brain barrier and the invasive nature of glioblastoma.  To combat these obstacles, a technique called convection-enhanced delivery (CED) will be utilized to deliver OS2966 directly to the brain tumor and surrounding tumor-infiltrated brain.  

 

The primary goal of this phase 1 study is to determine the safety and tolerability of OS2966 when delivered directly to the brain.  That said, given pre-clinical data demonstrating OS2966’s ability to address therapy resistant tumors and a delivery technique designed to overcome obstacles specific to glioblastoma, the ultimate hope is to improve outcomes for patients suffering from this formidable disease.  

 

You can find out more about this trial by on Clinicaltrials.gov.

 

About OncoSynergy: OncoSynergy is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Founded by physicians in 2011, the company employs a patient-focused approach to the development of innovative therapies for cancers of high unmet need. OncoSynergy's lead therapeutic, OS2966, is the first-ever clinical-ready Beta1 integrin(CD29) antibody under development for treatment of diverse cancers. It's mechanism of action involves targeting fundamental interactions in the tumor microenvironment driving cancer progression, growth and treatment resistance. OS2966 was recently granted Investigational New Drug (IND) approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This IND approval enables OncoSynergy to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating OS2966 in patients with recurrent glioblastoma, the most aggressive and deadly brain cancer.