On July 1, 2019 Synergys Biotherapeutics, a preclinical stage biotherapeutics company developing Vasculogenic Mimicry (VM)-blocking antibody fusion drugs for cancer treatment reported the granting of its second Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (Press release, Synergys Biotherapeutics, JUL 1, 2019, View Source [SID1234537345]). This award will support the development for ovarian cancer an anti-HER2 antibody fusion candidate that contains a highly anti-angiogenic dimeric mutant endostatin as its fusion partner. The uniqueness of the fusion is its ability to inhibit both vasculogenic mimicry, which is the direct formation of vascular channels by tumor cells, as well as angiogenesis, i.e. the development of new vasculature by endothelial cells. Synergys was awarded its first SBIR grant for the development of an anti-EGFR-endostatin mutant fusion that is currently being developed for the treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC).
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The fusion candidates were derived from A-TAP (Antibody-Targeted Anti-vascularization Payload) system that was pioneered by Drs. Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., Professor and Chief of the Hematology Division and Seung-Uon Shin, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL. Synergys has established a long-term collaboration with Drs. Rosenblatt and Shin in developing the fusion candidates and exploring the molecular mechanism of VM inhibition in decreasing tumor burden and metastasis inhibition in cancer.
Regarding the award, Dr. Rosenblatt notes, "As a co-PI of the project, I am excited to note that our pioneering work on vasculogenic mimicry inhibition in cancer is being recognized by the SBIR review boards for its therapeutic potential, first for TNBC and now again for ovarian cancer. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Synergys for the development of the antibody fusion molecules as new targeted therapeutics for various cancers."
Dr. Rathin Das, PhD, CEO of Synergys said, "Receiving our second SBIR award from the NCI is both validation and endorsement of the VM-blocking A-TAP platform thereby providing significant impetus for utilizing it for the development of breakthrough treatment modalities for a variety of solid cancers."