Preclinical Data Demonstrates SonoTran® Increased Delivery and Efficacy of ADCT-601 in Human Renal Cancer Model

Data from collaboration with ADC Therapeutics presented at the EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium showed SonoTran® increased potency of ADCT-601 by 3.3 times

OXFORD, UK , October 31, 2022 / B3C newswire / -- OxSonics Therapeutics, a clinical-stage company focused on transforming cancer treatment through SonoTran®, its ultrasound-based drug delivery platform, today announces positive preclinical efficacy data for SonoTran® in combination with ADC Therapeutics’ (“ADCT”) antibody drug conjugate (“ADC”), ADCT-601. The data was presented in a poster entitled ‘Ultrasound-induced cavitation enhances therapeutic efficacy of AXL-targeting ADC leading to improved survival in a human xenograft model of renal cancer’ at the EORTC-NCI-AACR (ENA) Symposium, Barcelona, Spain on 28 October by Dr Massimo Masiero, Senior Development Scientist, OxSonics.

ADCs are targeted medicines that combine a monoclonal antibody with an anti-cancer drug, which enables the specific killing of cancer cells whilst reducing the chances of systemic toxicity. In recent years, they have proven to be a promising new therapeutic class, particularly for the treatment of hematological malignancies and breast cancer. However, given their relatively large size, it is difficult for them to penetrate into and throughout solid tumor tissue. SonoTran®, OxSonics’ proprietary technology platform, is being developed to enhance the delivery and improve the efficacy of systemically administered oncology drugs. It combines innovative Particles that are co-administered independently with an anti-cancer drug, which are activated by a novel ultrasound device at the tumor site, creating a localised pumping effect that increases the delivery and penetration of the anti-cancer drug throughout the tumor.

The data presented in the poster was a collaboration between OxSonics Therapeutics and ADCT to assess the ability of SonoTran® to enhance the efficacy of ADCT-601 in a human xenograft model of renal cancer. ADCT-601 is currently in phase 1b clinical development in patients with selected advanced solid tumors.

The study evaluated two doses of ADCT-601, one known to be efficacious (1mg/kg) when administered alone and one that is ineffective alone (0.3mg/kg). During the study, the lower dose was administered with and without SonoTran®. The results showed the mice treated with 0.3mg/kg ADCT-601 + SonoTran® had significant tumor growth delay, which led to a significant improvement in survival compared to the control groups. The efficacy of the 0.3mg/kg ADCT-601 + SonoTran® was equivalent to that seen with 1mg/kg ADCT-601, indicating that the SonoTran® combination enhanced potency by 3.3 times.

SonoTran® is currently being evaluated in a phase I/IIa proof of concept clinical study in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer with liver metastases.

Christian Coviello, Chief Technology Officer, OxSonics, commented: “The data presented at ENA is further evidence of the potential of SonoTran® to increase the delivery and efficacy of a wide variety of anti-cancer treatments. It follows data presented at IOVC last week, which demonstrated SonoTran’s ability to increase the delivery and efficacy of a systemically administered oncolytic virus. We are particularly encouraged by the significant increase in the potency of ADCT-601 when combined with SonoTran®, which was greater than threefold. This indicates SonoTran’s potential to increase the therapeutic index of anti-cancer drugs by enhancing efficacy at lower systemic doses.”

The poster is available on the Company's website at: Scientific Publications - OxSonics Therapeutics