On October 17, 2024 Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:XBIO) ("Xenetic" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing innovative immuno-oncology technologies addressing hard to treat oncology indications, reported it has entered into a Materials Transfer Agreement with Tokyo Medical University to advance the development of its systemic DNase program (Press release, Xenetic Biosciences, OCT 17, 2024, View Source [SID1234647249]).
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Under the terms of the agreement, Professor Takuro Nakamura of the Department of Experimental Pathology, Institute of Medical Science at Tokyo Medical University will lead the research program evaluating the effects of human recombinant DNase I (rhDNase I) when given in combination with chemotherapy in a proprietary immunocompetent preclinical mouse model of Ewing sarcoma. Professor Takuro Nakamura’s proprietary immunocompetent Ewing sarcoma model encompasses the biological characteristics, morphology and gene expression profiles of human Ewing sarcoma and has demonstrated translational relevance.
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive orphan pediatric cancer that grows in bones or soft tissues, accounting for between 2 to 3 percent of all childhood cancers. There is a lack of effective treatment options for children with recurrent and metastatic disease where the five-year survival rate is only 20 to 30 percent for patients that have relapsed.
Clinical studies conducted at Tel Aviv Medical Center between 2010 and 2021 [1] showed that the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in the tumor microenvironment of Ewing sarcoma is an independent prognostic factor, with a clear association between NETs burden and poor prognosis. According to research from these clinical studies, elevated levels of NETs at diagnosis predicted a poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, relapse, and death from the disease.
Xenetic’s proprietary recombinant DNase I is an enzyme that digests NETs in tumor microenvironment. The preclinical studies are designed to evaluate the efficacy of DNase to reduce NETs burden and to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy given in an adjuvant setting.
James Parslow, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company stated, "As part of our overall development strategy, we aim to leverage relationships like the one established with Tokyo Medical University. Our commitment to the DNase program remains steadfast, and we are pleased to enter into this agreement to further expand our growing body of data."
About DNase-Based Oncology Platform
Xenetic’s DNase-based oncology platform is designed to target NETs, which are weblike structures composed of extracellular chromatin coated with histones and other proteins. In cancer, NETs are expelled by activated neutrophils into the tumor microenvironment and blood, thereby promoting cancer spread and local and systemic immunosuppression. Reduction of NETs burden via application of Xenetic’s proprietary recombinant human DNase I has been shown to improve efficacy of immunotherapy, adoptive cell therapy and chemotherapy in preclinical animal models.