Collaboration to advance clinical development of novel oncology therapeutic utilizing DRP(TM) Biomarker
Hoersholm; June 1st, 2015 - Medical Prognosis Institute A/S (MPI) (Denmark and Phoenix, AZ, US) and Nemucore Medical Innovations, Inc. (Nemucore) (Worcester, MA, US) announced today a partnership to advance the clinical development of an undisclosed oncology therapeutic by employing a Drug Response Predictor (DRP(TM)) Biomarker to identify cancer patients likely to respond to the drug for the treatment of certain cancers.
MPI has developed a highly validated, systems-biology-based biomarker platform, DRP(TM) Biomarker that effectively identifies likely responder patients for targeted enrollment of cancer drug clinical trials. Nemucore is developing a pipeline of innovative oncology therapeutics for the treatment of a variety of cancers. Under the partnership, Nemucore will employ a DRP(TM) Biomarker, developed by MPI and specific for Nemucore's most advanced product, to potentially select and enroll likely responder patients in a Phase 2b trial. Nemucore has an option to obtain an exclusive, worldwide license to commercialize the DRP(TM) Biomarker for use as a predictive or companion diagnostic in connection with its drug
"We are thrilled to collaborate with Nemucore to advance the clinical development of its promising oncology therapeutic and to advance a new paradigm in cancer drug development by designing and conducting clinical trials around a targeted population of patients identified, via our diagnostic platform, as the most likely to respond based on their tumor biology." Said Professor Peter Buhl Jensen, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of MPI.
Timothy Coleman, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Nemucore, further commented "This project underscores Nemucore's commitment to the development of precision cancer therapeutics by employing cutting-edge companion diagnostics to identify and enroll the appropriate patients in order to conduct successful clinical trials with patients that will likely benefit from our therapeutic."
"We are confident that our DRP(TM) Biomarker for Nemucore's therapeutic inhibitor will enable the identification and selection of likely responder patients for the drug, and we look forward to confirming this as the Phase 2b trial unfolds," noted Dr. Steen Knudsen, Ph.D., CSO and Founder of MPI.
About MPI
Medical Prognosis Institute, Inc. advances personalized medicine by partnering with cancer drug developers to apply its DRP(TM) diagnostic platform to streamline and de-risk clinical trials and drug development via biomarker optimization, patient stratification, and development of companion diagnostics.
MPI's lead product, the DRP(TM) platform, is a powerful tool to develop tumor-derived gene signatures that may predict which cancer patients are high likely responders to a given anticancer product. The DRP(TM) has been tested in 32 trials, where 26 trials showed that the DRP(TM) could predict which patients had a positive effect of the treatment. The DRP(TM) has also been externally validated and published in collaboration with leading statisticians at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The DRP(TM) platform can be used to design the Clinical Development Plan, i.e. to select which indications are relevant for a given anticancer drug. Further to and in addition to this, individual patients' gene patterns can be analyzed as part of a screening procedure for a clinical trial to ensure inclusion of those patients who have a high likelihood of response to the drug. The DRP(TM) platform can be used in all cancer types to develop drug-specific DRP(TM) Biomarkers, and has been patented for more than 60 anticancer drugs in the US in 2013.
About Nemucore Medical Innovations
Nemucore Medical Innovations, Inc. is a privately held biopharmaceutical clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative therapeutics, with a focus on treating multi-drug resistant cancers. Nemucore's most advanced product NMI-900, a "Best-In-Class" therapeutic for the treatment of ovarian cancer, is expected to begin a Phase 2b clinical trial in late 2015. Two additional therapeutics are anticipated to begin clinical trials in 2016 targeting further oncology indications, including breast cancer.
For further information on MPI please contact
CEO Peter Buhl Jensen, Professor, MD, PhD
E-mail: pbj@medical-prognosis.com
Cell Phone: (+45) 21 60 89 22
James G. Cullem, J.D.
VP of Corporate Development
E-mail: jgc@medical-prognosis.com
Cell Phone: +1 (978) 500-0863
Certified Advisor: Carsten Yde Hemme, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Strandvejen 44, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark
For further information on Nemucore, please contact:
Timothy Coleman, PhD
Chief Executive Officer & President
Email: tcoleman@nemucore.com
