Cellectar introduces PDC platform for targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics

The PDC platform has showed highly selective cancer targeting both preclinically in more than 60 in vivo cancer models, and subsequently confirmed clinically in over ten cancer types.

The company noted that the platform’s payload diversity has been validated using cytotoxic radioisotopes for cancer therapy; PET imaging isotopes for cancer imaging; fluorophores for image-guided surgery.

Currently, the company intends to expand its payload portfolio to chemotherapeutics such as paclitaxel and gemcitabine.

Cellectar CEO Jim Caruso said: "PDCs are a new class of small-molecules that exploit our extensively vetted phospholipid ether-based cancer targeting and delivery technology.

"Our platform possesses the ability to link diverse oncologic payloads for targeted delivery to a broad range of cancer and cancer stem cell targets."

The company is starting its PDC chemotherapeutic program with two preclinical drug candidates, CLR 1601-PTX and CLR 1605-GEM, which will use paclitaxel and gemcitabine as the respective payloads.

Preclinical data for CLR 1601-PTX is expected to be updated in the fourth quarter of this year and CLR 1605-GEM in the first quarter of next year.

CLR 131 is Cellectar’s lead PDC and its payload is iodine-131, a proven cytotoxic radioisotope, which is used primarily for thyroid cancer treatment.