On June 25, 2025 Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: OTLC) ("Oncotelic" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on RNA-based therapeutics, reported the publication of a peer-reviewed research article highlighting TGFB2 gene methylation as a positive prognostic biomarker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (Press release, Oncotelic, JUN 25, 2025, View Source [SID1234654112]). The paper, published in collaboration with Sapu Biosciences, LLC ("Sapu"), a wholly owned subsidiary of GMP Biotechnology Limited ("GMP Bio"), in which Oncotelic owns a 45% stake, appears in the journal International Journal of Molecular Sciences and is entitled: "TGFB2 Gene Methylation in Tumors with Low CD8+ T-Cell Infiltration Drives Positive Prognostic Overall Survival Responses in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma."
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Access the publication online at: View Source
The study was co-authored by Dr. Sanjive Qazi, Dr. Michael Potts, Scott Myers, Dr. Stephen Richardson, and Dr. Vuong Trieu.
Key Findings
PDAC remains one of the most lethal malignancies with limited treatment options, typically restricted to cytotoxic regimens like FOLFIRINOX. This study identifies DNA methylation signatures of the TGFB2 gene as a novel biomarker for improved overall survival, particularly in immunosuppressed tumor microenvironments characterized by low CD8+ T-cell infiltration.
Notably, patients exhibiting high TGFB2 methylation along with low expression of immune markers such as CD3D, LCK, and HLA-DRA demonstrated a highly significant median overall survival exceeding 50 months. The data suggest that TGFB2 methylation is a favorable prognostic indicator and may inform patient stratification for therapies targeting TGFB2 mRNA-such as OT-101, Oncotelic’s investigational antisense oligonucleotide.
In addition, the study underscores the importance of profiling TGFB1, TGFB2, and TGFB3 methylation to better characterize tumor immune status and select candidates for immunotherapy in otherwise resistant "cold" tumors.
Leadership Commentary
"Our latest discovery significantly enhances our understanding of the TGFB gene complex in PDAC, particularly in immunologically cold tumors," said Dr. Sanjive Qazi, lead author. "These results support further clinical development of OT-101 in PDAC, especially among patients with low T-cell infiltration and high TGFB2 methylation."
"PDAOAI, our AI-powered chatbot platform, played a pivotal role in the literature mining and analysis for this paper," added Scott Myers, Product Manager. "The integration of AI into the scientific process is accelerating discovery."
"Large language models like PDAOAI are transforming how we identify, extract, and interpret biomedical insights," said Dr. Michael Potts, VP of Data Science at Oncotelic.
The underlying source data and referenced literature used in the manuscript are accessible via Oncotelic’s proprietary AI platform, PDAOAI. Engage with the research on the public PDAOAI Discord community.