On December 9, 2020 BiomX Inc. (NYSE American: PHGE), a clinical stage company developing natural and engineered phage therapies targeting specific pathogenic bacteria, reported the results of an analysis of presence of target bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, in tumor samples obtained from patients with colorectal cancer and reported on progress in engineering of genetic payloads for therapeutic applications (Press release, BiomX, DEC 9, 2020, View Source [SID1234572542]). The analysis confirmed the presence of Fusobacterium nucleatum in over 80 percent of tumor samples obtained from patients with colorectal cancer and identified Fusobacterium nucleatum animalis as the most prevalent subspecie.
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In addition, the Company reported successful engineering of a functional fluorescence gene payload into Fusobacterium nucleatum phage and disclosed three candidate payloads which are being evaluated for delivery to the tumor microenvironment via phage. Candidate payloads include gene-encoding immune-stimulating proteins GM-CSF and IL-15 as well as the pro-drug converting enzyme cytosine deaminase. The BiomX colorectal cancer program utilizes phage therapy in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in order to target bacteria that are naturally present within tumors, with the aim of converting ‘cold’ tumors to ‘hot’ by delivering a payload to the tumor.
The results are featured in a poster presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Immuno-Oncology Virtual Congress 2020 and will be available at the Company’s website at View Source Presentation details are as follows:
Title: Novel Analysis of Fusobacterium Nucleatum Subspecies in Human Colorectal Cancer and Engineering of Therapeutic Bacteriophage
Lead Author: Lihi Ninio-Many, Ph.D., Project Leader, BiomX