STONY BROOK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LineaRx, Inc., the majority-owned subsidiary of Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN) focused on next-generation biotherapeutics, announced today that its invasive Circulating Tumor Cells (iCTCs) platform demonstrated superior correlation over Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) in an ongoing Phase II trial in recurrent prostate cancer. Most notably, the concentration of rare iCTCs identified per milliliter of whole blood correlated more directly with disease status than did the levels of PSA. These iCTCs were captured and identified utilizing LineaRx’s technology platform recently acquired from Vitatex Inc.
LineaRx’s collaborator Tyme Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYME), reported yesterday results of this recently completed Phase II trial using SM-88 to treat recurrent prostate cancer at the Congress of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), one of the preeminent meetings for highlighting new cancer therapies and diagnostics. The study updated the safety and antitumor effects of SM-88 in men with non-castrate non-metastatic prostate cancer. Antitumor effects were assessed by post-therapy changes in PSA and the number of iCTCs. Results showed that patients treated with this oral non-hormonal therapy maintained metastases-free survival without testosterone deprivation or typical hormonal therapy side effects.
Dr. Wen-Tien Chen, Principal Investigator of CTC Programs at LineaRx stated: “This use of iCTC quantification for providing earlier and more accurate identification of prostate cancer shows the importance of running trials using the iCTC functional capture and identification system from LineaRx. Published studies have shown that the concentration of iCTCs in blood correlates with disease status across other hard tumors, including metastatic sarcoma, pancreatic, ovarian, breast, lung and colorectal cancers. We believe our proprietary platform can help diagnose these difficult cancers earlier and with superior predictive capability.”
The current reported SM-88 Phase II study examines iCTCs in prostate cancer for what we believe is the first time in a clinical trial. While PSA has historically been the recognized biomarker for prostate cancer, many studies over the last 20 years have shown it is an inadequate biomarker, since it may become elevated in patients with no apparent disease, or less serious pathology than cancer. Intensive efforts have been directed towards alternative prostate cancer biomarkers, particularly those that can predict disease aggressiveness and help to drive better treatment decisions. However, biomarker research has centered on disease diagnostics, rather than prognosis and prediction, which could work toward disease prevention—an important focus moving forward.
The authors concluded: "Reductions in iCTC number may be a more informative indicator of benefit than changes in PSA.” Dr. Chen added, “New prostate cancer biomarkers should be targeted to addressing unmet clinical needs in prostate cancer management, including indicators for disease with low PSA values (<10ng/mL), prognostic markers to distinguish indolent from aggressive disease, and biomarkers for metastatic cancer.”
LineaRx’s iCTC technology is unique in that it isolates iCTCs on a functional basis (the invasion of a model tissue for the extracellular matrix, or the tissue between cells in an organ) and allows the cells to be cultured for deeper genomic analysis. iCTCs are a model for metastasis, since the tumor cells have left the primary tumor and entered the circulation. The LineaRx platform may serve as a standalone device or as a front-end to increase the sensitivity of approved diagnostics.
”iCTCs have the potential for metastasis, and may be very useful in the diagnosis of cancer, even before tumors may be imaged,” said Dr. James Hayward, CEO of LineaRx. “The present study is exciting because we believe it shows that iCTCs may be used to accurately follow therapy success in this very prevalent cancer while also providing new tools for cell and gene therapy design and production.”
About Tyme Technologies, Inc
Tyme Technologies, Inc., is an emerging biotechnology company developing cancer therapeutics that are intended to be broadly effective across tumor types and have low toxicity profiles. Unlike targeted therapies that attempt to regulate specific mutations within cancer, Tyme Technologies, Inc.’s therapeutic approach is designed to take advantage of a cancer cell’s innate metabolic weaknesses to compromise its defenses, leading to cell death through oxidative stress and exposure to the body’s natural immune system. For more information, visit www.tymeinc.com. Follow Tyme Technologies, Inc. on social media: @tyme_Inc, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
About LineaRx
LineaRx seeks to commercialize the biotherapeutic value of Applied DNA’s deep expertise and experience in the design, manufacture and chemical modification of DNA by large scale polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”). Linear DNA is a form of DNA distinct from the circular form of DNA most commonly produced in plasmids and grown in bacteria. Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA found in bacteria and are associated with the genes for antibiotic resistance which are often exchanged between bacteria and consequentially, are seen by many to embody a serious threat to global health. In addition, many nucleic acid-based therapies also rely on viral vectors for efficient transfection and expression of plasmid DNA. These viral vectors carry additional nontrivial risks and are extremely time consuming and expensive to manufacture. Go to www.adnas.com for more information on LineaRx and to learn more about how Applied DNA makes life real and safe. LineaRx is a majority-owned Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: APDN) company.
About Applied DNA Sciences
Applied DNA is a provider of molecular technologies that enable supply chain security, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technology, product genotyping and pre-clinical nucleic acid-based therapeutic drug candidates.
Applied DNA makes life real and safe by providing innovative, molecular-based technology solutions and services that can help protect products, brands, entire supply chains, and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion.
Visit adnas.com for more information. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Join our mailing list.
Common stock listed on NASDAQ under the symbol APDN, and warrants are listed under the symbol APDNW.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements made by Applied DNA in this press release may be “forward-looking” in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe Applied DNA’s future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Applied DNA. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to the risk that the acquisition will not be successfully integrated with LineaRx or that the potential benefits of the acquisition will not be realized, the Company’s history of net losses, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance , the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including whether any of Applied DNA’s product candidates will advance further in the preclinical research or clinical trial process, including receiving clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies to conduct clinical trials and whether and when, if at all, they will receive final approval from the U.S. FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies, uncertainties relating to its ability to maintain its NASDAQ listing in light of delisting notices received and various other factors detailed from time to time in Applied DNA’s SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on December 18, 2018, as amended, and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed on February 7, 2019,May 9, 2019 and August 13, 2019, and other reports we file with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov. Applied DNA undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless otherwise required by law.
