New finding builds upon previous confirmation of misetionamide’s direct inhibition of NFkB
Direct targeting of these two transcription factors inhibits multiple downstream signaling pathways in cancer cells
BERWYN, PA, Nov. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Panavance Therapeutics Inc. (“Panavance” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company advancing the development of a novel oncology therapeutic intended to improve the outcomes and quality of life for patients, today announced positive data confirming misetionamide (GP-2250) directly inhibits the transcription factors c-MYC and NFkB, highlighting its potential to target various forms of cancer.
At the October Visceral Medicine Congress in Leipzig, Germany, new data was presented showing misetionamide’s direct inhibition of c-MYC—one of the most frequently deregulated transcription factors in cancer. C-MYC plays a key role in regulating tumor metabolism, proliferation, cell survival, and immune evasion. This builds on earlier findings demonstrating misetionamide’s direct inhibition of NFkB, a transcription factor that is upregulated in many human tumors and acts as a prime tumor promotor. NFkB drives tumor cell proliferation, shields cells from oxidative stress, supports tumor survival, and stimulates blood vessel formation to nourish the tumor. Misetionamide’s dual inhibition of both c-MYC and NFkB addresses a critical need in oncology, targeting essential pathways that tumors use to sustain growth and evade apoptosis. This investigational therapy has the potential to represent a significant advancement in the fight against various cancers.
In preclinical studies, misetionamide demonstrated robust efficacy in reducing tumor size and prolonging survival rates in animal models of cancers such as ovarian, pancreatic, melanoma, squamous cell, breast, and colorectal cancers. The results show that misetionamide not only hinders tumor growth but also enhances the effectiveness of existing chemotherapy treatments.
“We are thrilled to highlight the unique mechanism of action of misetionamide, reflecting our commitment to advancing innovative cancer therapies,” said Greg Bosch, Chairman and CEO of Panavance. “By targeting c-MYC in addition to NFkB, we believe this drug holds potential to transform treatment options for patients with cancer.”
“Since these two transcription factors work in concert to drive tumor growth and proliferation, misetionamide’s ability to directly inhibit both offers a powerful two-pronged approach to cancer treatment,” says Hanns Moehler, PhD, Head, Pharmacology of Panavance and Professor emeritus at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich and the University of Zurich, Switzerland. “The direct inhibition of both, c-MYC and NFkB, has long been an elusive goal in cancer drug therapy.”
About Panavance Therapeutics
Panavance Therapeutics is a privately held, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a novel oncology asset, misetionamide (also known as GP-2250). Panavance, a US Delaware company based in Berwyn, PA, was founded in 2021 as a wholly owned carve out of the Geistlich group, a family-owned Swiss company, to focus on misetionamide and the oncology business.
Misetionamide is a broadly active small molecule with a novel mechanism of action that inhibits two oncogenic transcription factors, c-MYC and NFκB. Acting through c-MYC, misetionamide selectively disrupts the energy metabolism of cancer cells leading to cancer cell death. Through NFκB inhibition, misetionamide inhibits cancer cells’ ability to proliferate and survive. This dual- target mechanism makes misetionamide an attractive tumor cell selective agent.
Panavance is currently conducting a multicenter, Phase 1 dose escalation trial in four US clinical sites. The Company plans to initiate a clinical trial of misetionamide for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and a clinical trial as a first-line maintenance therapy for non- BRCA mutated pancreatic cancer patients, a population for which there are no FDA approved drugs. Extensive preclinical studies have demonstrated that misetionamide’s broadly anti- neoplastic MOA has the potential to be effective in additional tumor types, including melanoma, squamous cell, breast, and colorectal cancers.
For more information, please visit panavance.com and connect with the Company on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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