On April 2, 2026 Biodexa Pharmaceuticals PLC (Nasdaq: BDRX) ("Biodexa" or "Company"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative products focused on the treatment or prevention of gastrointestinal cancers, reported that it has partnered with Syngene International Ltd (BSE: 539268, NSE: SYNGENE) ("Syngene") for the manufacture of both MTX240 active pharmaceutical ingredient and dosage form.
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Commenting, Dan Palmer, Vice President, Technology at Biodexa said "We are delighted to be partnering with Syngene for the second time. Syngene manufactured tolimidone dosage form for us on time and on budget and, given the license for MTX240 from Otsuka was only signed in early February, they have once again demonstrated their responsiveness and flexibility in designing a program to manufacture GMP product within only a few weeks"
About MTX240, its Unique Mechanism of Action, Clinical Rationale and Next Steps
Molecular glue technology represents a novel approach that induces targeted protein interactions, offering a distinct mechanism of action to conventional kinase inhibitors for rare oncology indications.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ("GIST") is mostly driven by activating mutations in the KIT and/or PDGFR receptor tyrosine kinase. While tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as imatinib, sunitinib, and regorafenib are reported to have significantly improved outcomes for GIST patients, resistance almost always develops through secondary KIT or PDGFR mutations or activation of alternative signalling pathways. This represents a substantial clinical challenge with limited therapeutic options for patients once they have cycled through the available TKIs.
MTX240 acts as a molecular glue, bringing two intracellular proteins, PDE3a and SLFN12, specifically co-expressed by GIST cancer cells, into close proximity to form a stable complex. This interaction stabilizes SLFN12, enabling it to drive RNase-mediated apoptosis in GIST cells through a mechanism independent of KIT signalling. By triggering cell death through this alternative pathway, MTX240 is designed to overcome the resistance mechanisms that render TKI-resistant GISTs refractory to conventional kinase inhibitors. This novel mechanism may provide clinical benefit for a significant proportion of GIST patients, not only those who have developed resistance to TKIs.
Biodexa is planning to file an IND and initiate a Phase 1b/2a study towards the end of the year. The study will likely be in two parts: a dose escalation part to establish a safe and tolerable dose followed by an expansion part designed to generate an efficacy signal in TKI-resistant GIST patients.
(Press release, Biodexa Pharmaceuticals, APR 2, 2026, View Source [SID1234664164])