Val d’Hebron Hospital treats world’s first patient with new drug that attacks tumor stem cells
VALENCIA (EP). Val d’Hebron Hospital announced the first phase of the clinical trial “SERONCO-1”, which is evaluating for the first time in patients a new compound called AOP208 (formerly LB-208), acting through a new mechanism of action. never before used in oncology, it is known as “first in class.”
Thus, the research unit of molecular cancer therapy UITM-CaixaResearch of the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) launched this study, originally developed by Leukos Biotech, a “spin-off” of the Josep Carreras Institute of Cancer Research.
The drug is undergoing clinical trials in international collaboration with AOP Health. SERONCO-1, promoted by Leukos Biotech with support from AOP Health, is the first trial of the global program. Leukos and AOP have entered into a licensing and collaboration agreement in 2022 to facilitate product development to benefit leukemia and other tumor patients globally.
The new compound, AOP208, blocks a protein on the surface of cancer stem cells, the serotonin 1B receptor, which in cancer cells adopts a special conformation and controls metabolic pathways, blocking which may be important for treating the underlying cause of cancer. .
The compound is administered orally and was originally developed by Leukos Biotech based on research conducted by Dr. Jones. Ruth Risueno since 2012 at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute with the support of the Josep Carreras Leukemia Foundation.
“We wanted to find a new way to attack cancer stem cells, since they are responsible for tumor initiation, maintenance and relapse, which is a serious problem, especially in some leukemias. Our work at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute has demonstrated that the serotonin 1b receptor is key to this process in leukemia stem cells. Since there was no suitable molecule that could block the receptor, at Leukos we implemented a chemical development program that allowed us to obtain the molecule AOP208. “We’re very excited to get started. clinical trials and will take our compound to the next level to benefit patients with leukemia and certain solid tumors,” explained Risueño.
The first patient in the world to receive this innovative drug did so as part of the phase 1 clinical trial “SERONCO-1”, led by Irene Branja, medical oncologist at the Val d’Hebron University Hospital and head of the head and neck tumor group. . neck VHIO, at UITM-CaixaResearch, the early clinical trial unit of VHIO and the only center participating in this study.
This research is being conducted in collaboration with Leukos Biotech and is partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the public-private collaboration program RETOS (CPP2021-008715). “Treating the first patient with AOP208 in the study represents a significant step toward understanding the safety and tolerability of the drug,” Branja said.
“All of the drugs we are testing in patients in clinical trials have previously demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models, but now we must demonstrate, firstly, that they are safe in humans, and secondly, that this antitumor activity occurs in the patient “, he said. adds.
‘First-in-class’ drug that could potentially treat leukemia
Research into new approaches to cancer therapy is urgently needed, stressed Christophe Kleid, chief scientific officer at AOP Health.
“AOP208 targets a cancer stem cell receptor that has not been the focus of cancer therapy until now, making it a first-in-class investigational drug in oncology. This pathway may play a role in several types of leukemia, as well as in some solid tumors, including breast and lung cancers,” he said.
Based on the safety and active dose information expected from the SERONCO-1 study in patients with advanced solid tumors, AOP Health will conduct a second clinical trial of AOP208 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer that currently has a poor prognosis.