MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cancer Therapeutics, a company focused on translating cancer biology research into novel treatments for cancer, today announced positive preclinical results for CTX-0294945 as an adjuvant therapy to the cancer drug Avastin (bevacizumab - Genentech/Roche). The data is presented today in a late breaking poster at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012 in Chicago, USA.
CTX-0294945 is a highly-selective small molecule inhibitor of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase implicated in solid tumour maintenance and progression. It is also an appropriate candidate for combination therapy in a range of cancers. In the present study, CTX-0294945 was combined with the anti-angiogenic antibody Avastin in an in vivo orthoptic model of triple negative breast cancer. Avastin is widely used in the clinic but its efficacy can be limited and efficacy can be short-lived. CTX-0294945 significantly augmented the effectiveness of Avastin in limiting tumour growth and also significantly increased the duration of response. CTX-0294945 also appears to inhibit tumour revascularisation and macrophage infiltration even after Avastin therapy has stopped.
Warwick Tong, CEO of Cancer Therapeutics, commented:
“We are delighted that this, our first therapeutic cancer candidate has made such a strong preclinical showing, achieving proof of concept in combination with Avastin. Highly selective small molecules such CTX-0294945 have greatest utility as adjunctive therapies. We are also grateful to the AACR for recognising the importance of this study by granting us a late breaking poster slot.”
This data is released on the same day that Cancer Therapeutics launches its new corporate website at:
The title of the poster being presented between 8am and 12 midday on April 3rd at the AACR is “Combination of CTX-0294945 a highly selective inhibitor of focal adhesion kinase with bevacizumab in pre-clinical models of breast cancer” by I Street et al.
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About Cancer Therapeutics CRC
Cancer Therapeutics is a small molecule drug discovery company that is translating innovative cancer biology research into lead and preclinical stage drug candidates. In particular it is targeting novel cancer pathways associated with the tumour microenvironment or growth, to develop novel treatments for breast, prostate, melanoma, lung and brain cancers. Cancer Therapeutics’ business strategy is to license or forge collaborations to take its quality lead and preclinical stage small molecule drug candidate assets to international pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies for clinical development. Located in Melbourne, Australia the Company was founded in January 2007 through a collaboration between a number of Australia's leading research institutions and commercial organisations. Further information can be found at www.cancercrc.com
About CRC Australia
The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) program is an Australian Government Initiative.
The CRC program supports end-user driven research collaborations to address the major challenges facing Australia. Australia’s network of CRCs operates across all sectors of Australia’s economy and society. Further information about the CRC program is available from www.crc.gov.au