BERWYN, PA — Panavance Therapeutics Inc. has announced the publication of encouraging data on misetionamide in the peer-reviewed journal, Cancer Medicine. The study conducted by Kim et al. at MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrates the efficacy of misetionamide in treating ovarian cancer, both as a standalone treatment and in combination with other therapies.
Misetionamide is a small molecule drug that selectively targets tumor cells. It disrupts ATP production by inhibiting hexokinase-2, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and pyruvate dehydrogenase in aerobic glycolysis. This inhibition creates oxidative, metabolic, and hypoxic stress within cancer cells. Additionally, misetionamide impairs the ability of cancer cells to express genes by inhibiting key transcription factors like NFkB.
“The key findings in our research are that misetionamide exerts a profound antitumor effect when used as monotherapy as well as synergistically when used either in combination with PARP inhibitors or bevacizumab. Misetionamide also has anti-angiogenic activity that interacts synergistically with bevacizumab. Both findings, and others, strongly suggest that misetionamide in combination with PARPi or bevacizumab should be studied further as a new antitumor drug in ovarian cancers,” said Anil Sood, MD, from MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The study revealed that misetionamide not only works effectively on its own but also shows strong synergistic activity when combined with PARP inhibitors and bevacizumab. Misetionamide’s anti-angiogenic properties further enhance its effectiveness, particularly when used with bevacizumab.
“This research demonstrates that misetionamide exerts major anti-cancer effects through new metabolic and transcription inhibition mechanisms. As such, misetionamide may be a promising new therapeutic approach for ovarian cancer patients, which is the fifth leading cause of female cancer death,” commented Robert L. Coleman, MD, Gynecologic Oncologist at Texas Oncology.
The findings support Panavance’s strategy to initiate clinical trials for misetionamide in ovarian cancer. The company recently had a pre-IND meeting with the FDA to discuss their clinical and regulatory plans. They intend to pursue a Phase 1/2 proof of concept study in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
“The results of this study support our strategy to initiate a clinical trial in ovarian cancer. The Company had a pre-IND meeting with the FDA to discuss our ovarian cancer clinical and regulatory plan in May, and we plan to pursue a Phase 1/2 proof of concept study in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Given the high unmet need with approximately 20,000 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed each year in the US alone, we are dedicated to bringing new treatment options to these patients,” said Greg Bosch, Chairman and CEO.
Panavance’s commitment to advancing new therapeutic options for ovarian cancer patients comes at a crucial time, with the high incidence of ovarian cancer emphasizing the need for innovative treatments. The forthcoming clinical trials aim to provide new hope and improved outcomes for patients battling this challenging disease.
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