PDX Pharmaceuticals has published recent data on PDX-001 in collaboration with the Biomedical Engineering Department of Oregon Health and Science University. PDX-001 is a targeted nanoparticle for delivery of therapeutic siRNA for treating HER2+ and triple-negative breast cancer. The development is in collaboration with OHSU. It has been funded by a fast-track phase I/II SBIR contract from NIH/NCI as well as angel funds (the Prospect Creek Foundation and Schwab Charitable Trust).
The work published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics (IF=5.579) reports intrinsic anti-metastatic properties of PDX-001 and its use on targeted delivery of Polo-like kinase 1 siRNA (siPLK1). We have shown for the first time that PDX-001 by itself inhibited cancer migration and invasion in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells owing to its ROS and NOX4 modulating properties. In vivo, siPLK1-PDX-001 (6 doses of 0.5 mg/kg) knocked down about 80% of human PLK1 mRNA expression in metastatic breast cancer cells residing in mouse lungs, and reduced tumor incidence and burden in lungs and other organs of an experimental metastasis mouse model. Long-term treatment significantly delayed the onset of death in mice and improved the overall survival. The platform capable of simultaneously inhibiting the proliferative and metastatic hallmarks of cancer progression is unique and has great therapeutic potential to also target other metastatic cancers beyond breast cancer.
To read the paper click here.