Helix BioPharma Corp (TSX:HBP) (OTCMKTS:HBPCF), the immuno-oncology focused biotech, told investors it has extended its collaboration with the Florida-based Moffitt Cancer Center for a further year, building on the pair's progress so far.
Helix and Moffitt have already developed a new pancreatic adenocarcinoma mouse model suitable for testing Helix's lead clinical compound L-DOS47 alone or in combination with immunotherapies, the group noted.
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In addition, last year, at the World Molecular Imaging Conference, the firms jointly presented a poster presentation on the pharmacodynamics of targeted urease and checkpoint blockade using Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) and 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). This imaging technique is currently being used in Helix BioPharma's US clinical study in advanced stage pancreatic patients.
The company's lead candidate L-DOS47 is in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.
In this next stage of the partnership, Helix and Moffit intend to build on these early successes and provide additional preclinical support in using L-DOS47 with immunotherapies as clinical support.
"I look forward to expanding the use of L-DOS47 in combination with immunotherapy for future clinical application", Dr Heman Chao, Helix's chief executive said in a statement.
L-DOS47 is based on the firm's novel DOS47 platform technology, which is designed to use an innovative approach to modify the microenvironmental conditions of cancer cells in a way that leads to their destruction.
Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com