On June 27, 2022 Redx (AIM: REDX), the clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing novel, small molecule, highly targeted therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and fibrotic disease, reported that two presentations were delivered at the inaugural Extracellular Matrix Pharmacology Congress ("ECM 2022") in Copenhagen, 23-25 June (Press release, Redx Pharma, JUN 27, 2022, View Source [SID1234616280]). The presentations highlighted novel preclinical research performed by the Company and academic collaborators including encouraging data supporting Redx’s Porcupine and ROCK inhibitors as potential novel treatments for cancer-associated fibrosis.
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Dr Richard Armer, Chief Scientific Officer, Redx Pharma, commenting on both presentations at the ECM Congress said: "The encouraging data sets presented at the ECM Congress demonstrate the potential of our proprietary molecules to address hard-to-treat cancers and fibrotic diseases, including cancer-associated fibrosis. Redx is uniquely positioned to become a leader in these underserved clinical areas as we continue to leverage our current clinical assets, world-class medicinal chemistry, and drug discovery engine. We look forward to continuing our work with leading academic institutions to research possible future applications of our molecules."
Collaboration partner, Professor Marina Pajic of the prestigious Garvan Institute of Medical Research (the "Garvan") in New South Wales, Australia presented the RXC004 (PORCUPINE) and ROCK2 selective inhibitor data showing that targeting fibrosis associated with pancreatic cancer led to increased survival in mouse models. The collaboration between Redx and the Garvan was announced on 5 April 2022.
Professor Marina Pajic, Associate Professor and Strategic Program Lead for Precision Medicine for Cancer at the Garvan commented: "Highly fibrotic pancreatic cancers are a key research area for us. Our work with Redx’s proprietary, highly selective small molecules allows us to expand our understanding of how targeting different signalling pathways may be used to develop novel treatments which improve patient survival in these difficult-to-treat cancers."
In a second presentation, Head of Inflammation and Fibrosis at Redx, Dr Peter Bunyard, presented data supporting RXC008, a GI-targeted ROCK inhibitor, as a potential first-in-class treatment for fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease. The presented results were from a research collaboration between Redx and scientists at Belgium’s Ghent University and assessed the preclinical efficacy of RXC008 based on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) texture analysis to determine fibrotic changes in the colon. The data showed that RXC008 could significantly reduce fibrosis in the mouse dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) model measured by both histology and, for the first time, non-invasive MRI. This study therefore highlights that RXC008 has the potential to be the first pharmaceutical treatment for fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease, reducing or replacing the need for repeated and debilitating surgical interventions, currently the only treatment option for patients, and that MRI could be used to monitor the effectiveness of new treatments in the clinic without the need for invasive biopsy.
Debby Laukens, Professor of Gastro-Intestinal Inflammation at Ghent University, commented: "We are proud of our work with Redx and the crucial role it played in profiling a differentiated drug candidate through measuring its anti-fibrotic effects using a novel, non-intrusive technique. We were clearly able to demonstrate the efficacy of Redx’s GI-targeted ROCK inhibitor to specifically target fibrosis in the intestines."
About the Extracellular Matrix Pharmacology Congress The Congress, organised by the Danish Research Foundation, brought together experts in the fields of cancer, fibrosis and immunology to discuss new pharmacological approaches to treat chronic diseases often caused by alterations in the extracellular matrix ("ECM") structure. Redx was one of eight symposium sponsors.