Clinical-stage gene therapy company Genprex, Inc. has announced an increased focus on developing a program specifically targeting malignant mesothelioma. The Austin-based company has announced the formation of a mesothelioma clinical advisory board comprised of four world-renowned researchers from major research institutions specializing in the treatment of the rare, asbestos-related disease.
World-Class Mesothelioma Researchers Join Company’s Mesothelioma Board
According to Genprex’s President and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Confer, the company is developing a research program around its Reqorsa ® Gene Therapy specifically targeting the expression of TUSC2, a tumor suppressor gene that is downregulated in 84% of mesothelioma patients. The company’s therapy consists of the TUSC2 gene-expressing plasmid encapsulated in non-viral lipid-based nanoparticles. It is delivered intravenously with the goal of targeting cancer cells.
The company has been joined by mesothelioma researchers from New York University Langone Health to help with preclinical data, which they will deliver at the 2024 EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. Lab studies conducted at MD Anderson show that the uptake of TUSC2 in tumor cells in vitro after REQORSA was 10 to 33 times the uptake in normal cells, which is due to the therapy being designed for delivery to negatively charged cancer cells and not being taken up by healthy cells.
Reqorsa Gene Therapy Being Tested for Mesothelioma Treatment
Researchers at Genprex developed REQORSA for use in combination with currently approved therapies for patients with non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer but are hoping that it can also be used to interrupt cell signaling pathways that cause replication and proliferation of mesothelioma cells. The company’s addition of noted mesothelioma researchers is a strong indication of its dedication to finding an effective treatment for patients with the rare, asbestos-related disease.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, groundbreaking therapies like these offer real hope for the future. For more information on the resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
