In a COLO-205 xenograft model, ACT-903 demonstrates tumor suppression, increased survival after single and multiple doses, and no signs of toxicity

TORONTO, CANADA, May 26, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Alpha Cancer Technologies Inc. (ACT) a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing targeted immuno-oncology and immunology therapies based on its proprietary recombinant human Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP) platform, announced details from the company’s abstract published today at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. The ASCO meeting will be held in Chicago from June 3-8, 2022.

“The incremental preclinical findings reported with ACT-903, our novel protein drug conjugate, continue to validate the promise of our AFP platform and reinforce our belief in ACT-903’s potential to overcome the shortcomings of traditional immuno-oncology treatments and most antibody-drug conjugates,” said Dr. Igor Sherman, CEO of ACT. “We are highly encouraged by both the remarkable efficacy and safety profiles demonstrated by ACT-903 across multiple preclinical studies, and look forward to using these key findings in our IND submission, planned for 2023, and advancing this potentially transformational therapy into the clinic.”

The abstract entitled, “An Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-Maytansine Conjugate for the Treatment of AFP Receptor Expressing Tumors” was selected by the ASCO Scientific Program Committee for publication in the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings, a supplement to the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The abstract highlighted ACT-903, a recombinant human form of AFP conjugated to a proprietary maytansinoid payload, the lead molecule Alpha Cancer is advancing towards clinic. Single doses of ACT-903 (10-50 mg/kg) were administered intravenously to COLO-205 tumor bearing mice, with tumor growth, survival and clinical observations assessed for 60 days post tumor implantation. Both serum AFP and maytansinoid levels were determined following the single dose.

Results from the earlier multiple dose study demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in tumor volume in all four conjugates tested compared to vehicle control (p<0.05) and, in the ACT-903 arm, tumors continued shrinking even after treatment completion, becoming undetectable in 9 of 10 animals. All 10 mice in the ACT-903 arm survived through Day 60 with no obvious signs of toxicity compared to no survivors in the control group. In this single dose study of ACT-903, a dose of 40 and 50 mg/kg achieved significance in the reduction of tumor burden by Day 14 (p<0.05) compared to control. For both the 40 and 50 mg/kg groups, a second dose was administered 15 days after the first dose based on tumor re-growth and the results showed survival was significantly prolonged in the 40 mg/kg group (p<0.0001) and 50 mg/kg (p=0.0037) group. In these two groups, 7 of 10 and 9 of 10 animals survived to Day 60, respectively. Similar doses of AFP and ACT-903 produced comparable AFP serum level concentrations suggesting the pharmacokinetic profile of the ACT-903 is driven by the protein. Additionally, maytansine levels in plasma at four hours were less than 0.1 % of the injected dose of the conjugate, an indication that the conjugate is stable in circulation.

These encouraging signals of efficacy and safety support advancing ACT-903 toward clinical use with a regimen of either once a week or once every other week administration. ACT-903 is currently undergoing additional IND enabling studies in advance of a planned IND submission in 2023.

About Alpha Cancer Technologies, Inc.
Alpha Cancer Technologies, Inc. is an emerging biotechnology company with products under development in immunotherapy (Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Hashimoto) and immuno-oncology. ACT’s immuno-oncology products target AFP receptors expressed on almost all solid and liquid tumors and immune suppressor cells but absent on normal cells. This approach offers the benefits of much lower toxicity and greater efficacy compared to conventional chemotherapy and other targeted therapies. ACT is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For more information, please visit www.alpha-cancer.com

Richard Potts, Chair
Alpha Cancer Technologies
+1 416-464-2678
rpotts@alpha-cancer.com