According to terms of the agreement, Lorus will provide Sumitomo proprietary antisense oligonucleotides complementary to Thioredoxin mRNA, specifically the lead drug candidate, GTI-2601. The collaboration agreement provides for Lorus, Sumitomo and Koken to jointly own compounds that result from this collaboration.
Thioredoxin is involved in tumor formation, progression and metastasis by a variety of mechanisms. Tumor samples from patients with a wide variety of cancers, including lung, colon, cervical, gastric and hepatocellular carcinoma amongst others, show elevated levels of Thioredoxin. Furthermore, expression levels of Thioredoxin correlate with disease prognosis.
Over-expression of Thioredoxin has been linked with resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Given these observations, reducing the level of Thioredoxin with antisense drug should interfere with multiple pathways that lead to cancer progression.
Through an in vitro and in vivo screening process, Lorus has demonstrated that GTI-2601 has target and sequence specific anticancer activity in vitro, using cultured human cancer cells, and potent anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activity in vivo in animal models of human cancers.
Sumitomo and Koken have developed an advanced delivery system based on collagen complexed with macromolecules. Published data, from a study using a preclinical animal disease model, demonstrate that injection of the delivery technology complexed to antisense oligonucleotides is more effective than uncomplexed oligonucleotides.
Furthermore, improved efficacy was demonstrated at decreased doses. Coupled with an effective antisense drug like GTI-2601, against a proven cancer target, this technology holds much promise from efficacy, safety, manufacturing and commercial perspectives.
“We are pleased to collaborate with one of Japan’s leading pharmaceutical companies and with a leading collagen company. We believe that this important value-added delivery technology will provide a significant advantage from a scientific and commercial point of view to Lorus’ portfolio of antisense drugs,” said Lorus CEO Dr Jim Wright.