Atossa Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ATOS) has welcomed new guidelines released by the US Preventative Services Task Force that recommend women begin breast cancer screening starting at age 40.
The biopharmaceutical company targeting breast cancer with its lead asset (Z)-endoxifen highlighted that the change to the recommended age comes in response to rising breast cancer rates among younger women and racial disparities in breast cancer diagnosis and mortality.
It also comes ahead of a September 2024 deadline from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requiring mammogram facilities to provide individuals with detailed information about their breast density as part of routine mammograms.
Breast density is a “significant” independent risk factor in the development of breast cancer and can decrease the effectiveness of mammograms in detecting cancerous lesions, Atossa pointed out.
There are currently no approved treatments to reduce breast density.
In its Phase 2 Karisma study, Atossa is evaluating the ability of its lead drug asset (Z)-endoxifen to reduce mammographic breast density in premenopausal women with measurable breast density. Results are expected in the second half of 2024.
Dr Steven Quay, Atossa’s CEO, said the new breast cancer screening guidelines would “undoubtedly” improve timely access to patient care, saving lives by enabling the earlier diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.
“However, a bigger opportunity to help women is by developing therapies to prevent breast cancer from ever occurring,” he said.
“Half the women in the world over the age of 40 have dense breast tissue and women with very dense breasts are five times more likely to get breast cancer than women with fatty breasts. Reducing breast density would not only make mammograms more effective, but more importantly, it could significantly reduce the likelihood that these women ever develop breast cancer.”