LOS ANGELES, Feb. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CytRx Corporation
(NASDAQ: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical research and development
company specializing in oncology, and its private, wholly-owned
subsidiary Centurion BioPharma Corporation, today announced the
publication of peer reviewed, scientific research for LADR-7
(AE-Keto-Sulf07), one of its lead LADR™ (Linker Activated Drug
Release) candidates. The article, entitled "Novel auristatin
E-based albumin-binding prodrugs with superior anticancer efficacy
in vivo compared to the parent compound" to be published in the
Journal of Controlled Release, a leading journal for drug delivery
on February 28, 2019. The
abstract may be found and full article purchased online at
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-controlled-release/vol/296.
The manuscript was published by Felix
Kratz, PhD and his team of researchers who have been
pioneers in the field of albumin-based drug research. Dr. Kratz has
investigated the use of albumin as a drug carrier with highly
potent cytotoxic agents for over 25 years focusing on
acid-sensitive and enzymatically cleavable linkers. Dr. Kratz
commented, "The data published today provides convincing
preclinical proof-of-concept that for the first time the body's own
albumin can be used as an effective drug carrier to target and
deliver highly potent auristatin E in a variety of solid tumors
with outstanding efficacy."
LADR-7 is designed to release the ultra high potency auristatin
E payload at the tumor site in a pH-dependent manner.
Preclinical efficacy shows impressive results in a panel of patient
and cell-derived human tumor xenograft models (melanoma, ovarian
carcinoma, non-small-cell lung cancer and head and neck squamous
cell carcinomas) in comparison with the parent compound auristatin
E. While auristatin E was devoid of any antitumor efficacy except
in one model, LADR-7 showed anticancer efficacy inducing
statistically significant partial and/or complete tumor regressions
in both small (130‒150 mm3) and large (270‒380
mm3) tumors. Of note is that long-term regressions
were achieved in all tested xenograft models up to 14-week
post-injection.
Auristatin E as a drug treatment experienced a resurgence with
Adcetris®, an antibody drug conjugate developed by Seattle
Genetics. Centurion's LADR™ platform demonstrates that such
highly potent drugs can be harnessed without the expense and
complex manufacturing process of antibody conjugation.
Additionally, several recent regulatory approvals for
immunotherapeutic agents combined with conventional cytotoxic
therapy demonstrate the revival of cytotoxic therapy to deliver
added benefits over conventional therapy. The LADR mechanism
targets the tumor and reduces side effects which makes it an
attractive partner to study in combination with immunotherapies in
solid tumors. The preclinical dossier for LADR-7 is complete
and ready for transfer to a strategic partner for further
development.
About the LADR™ Drug Candidates and the Albumin Companion
Diagnostic
Centurion BioPharma's LADR™ (Linker Activated Drug Release)
technology employs a broad portfolio of novel linker molecules that
selectively bind to circulating albumin and have the ability to be
linked to a wide variety of anti-cancer payloads. Centurion's
LADR™ drug candidates, LADR-7, LADR-8, LADR-9 and LADR-10, utilize
the anti-cancer agents maytansine and auristatin E to maximize
tumor cell kill potential while minimizing systemic toxicity.
Centurion believes these agents have the potential to be combined
with immunotherapies to improve the efficacy and safety of
treatments for cancers that have typically been difficult to
treat. At the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
2018 Annual Meeting, scientific research was presented which
described the breakthrough data supporting Centurion's selection of
its current LADR assets for advancement toward Investigational New
Drug-enabling studies. These targeted compounds demonstrated
excellent, long-term antitumor activity across a wide range of
human solid tumor cancer types, including lung, breast, ovarian,
head and neck, renal cell, and melanoma.
In July 2018, Centurion filed a
provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office covering its unique albumin companion diagnostic (ACDx) for
use alongside its albumin binding ultra-high potency LADR™ (Linker
Activated Drug Release) drug candidates. The goal of ACDx is
to identify patients with cancer who are most likely to benefit
from treatment with LADR-7, LADR-8, LADR-9 and LADR-10.
About CytRx Corporation
CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR) is a biopharmaceutical company
with expertise in discovering and developing new therapeutics to
treat patients with cancer. CytRx's most advanced drug conjugate,
aldoxorubicin, is an improved version of the widely used
anti-cancer drug doxorubicin and has been out-licensed to NantCell,
Inc. In addition, CytRx's other drug candidate, arimoclomol
has been out-licensed to Orphazyme A/S (Nasdaq Copenhagen exchange:
ORPHA). Orphazyme is testing arimoclomol in four indications
including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Niemann-Pick disease
Type C (NPC), Gaucher disease and sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis
(sIBM). CytRx Corporation's website is www.cytrx.com.
About Centurion Corporation
CytRx's wholly owned subsidiary, Centurion BioPharma
Corporation, is focused on the development of personalized medicine
that is designed to transform solid tumor treatment. This
transformational strategy combines a portfolio of novel,
anti-cancer drug candidates that employ LADR™ (Linker Activated
Drug Release) technology, a discovery engine designed to leverage
Centurion's expertise in albumin biology and linker technology for
the development of a new class of breakthrough anti-cancer
therapies with a unique albumin companion diagnostic (ACDx) that
can help identify patients who are most likely to benefit from
treatment with the LADR™-derived therapies. A critical element of
the LADR™ platform is its ability to bind anti-cancer molecules to
circulating albumin, the most ubiquitous protein in human blood
plasma, and then to release the highly potent cytotoxic payload at
the tumor site. This technology allows for the delivery of higher
doses of drug directly to the tumor, while avoiding much of the
off-target toxicity observed with the parent molecules. Centurion
BioPharma Corporation's website is www.centurionbiopharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such
statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
events or results to differ materially from the events or results
described in the forward-looking statements, including risks and
uncertainties relating to the ability of Centurion BioPharma to
enter into strategic transactions or partnerships involving its
proprietary LADR™ drug candidates; the ability of Centurion's LADR™
drug candidates to enter clinical trials or obtain regulatory
approvals for any such products; the efficacy, safety and results
me of any clinical trials involving Centurion's LADR™ drug
candidates; the ability of Centurion to develop new ultra-high
potency drug candidates based on its LADR™ technology platform and
attract potential licensees; and other risks and uncertainties
described in the most recent annual and quarterly reports filed by
CytRx with the Securities and Exchange Commission and current
reports filed since the date of CytRx's most recent annual report.
All forward-looking statements are based upon information available
to CytRx on the date the statements are first published. CytRx
undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Investor Relations Contact:
Argot Partners
Michelle Carroll
(212) 600-1902
michelle@argotpartners.com
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