TIDMROQ
RNS Number : 4658C
Roquefort Therapeutics PLC
13 June 2023
13 June 2023
Roquefort Therapeutics plc
("Roquefort Therapeutics" or the "Company")
Anti-Cancer MDK mRNA - Positive in vitro Results
Positive Experimental Results in Breast and Liver Cancer and
Enhanced mRNA Patent Position
Roquefort Therapeutics (LSE:ROQ), the Main Market listed biotech
company focused on developing first in class medicines in the high
value and high growth oncology market is pleased to announce the
successful completion of in vitro studies for the Company's
anti-cancer mRNA therapeutic in breast and liver cancer. The
studies demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in both
proliferation (cancer growth) and migration.
Today's announcement follows the development of a new platform
of anti-cancer mRNA therapeutics targeting the Company's novel
Midkine target ("MDK mRNA Program") announced on 8 March 2023. The
Roquefort Therapeutics team and collaborators at the University of
New South Wales have accelerated development of the MDK mRNA
Program and successfully demonstrated its cancer killing ability in
validated in vitro models of breast and liver cancer.
The Company's MDK mRNA Program was tested in validated in vitro
models of breast and liver cancer to evaluate whether this could
slow the cancer growth and migration (as an early proxy for
metastasis). The study demonstrated a statistically significant
reduction in both proliferation (cancer growth) and migration.
While these are early in vitro results, this effect, if replicated
in clinical trials, is consistent with the potential for a first in
class cancer medicine. The Company intends to present these highly
encouraging results at one of the forthcoming leading cancer
conferences.
The Company has recently updated its filed patents to protect
the MDK mRNA Program including compositions and methods, which
further consolidates the Company's leadership position in the
Midkine field.
The mRNA cancer market is a highly attractive new field of
medicine ($31 billion, 7.8% CAGR [1] ) and is led by Pfizer,
Moderna and BioNTech. Roquefort Therapeutics is well positioned in
this field, with four mRNA sequences that uniquely target
Midkine.
The Company's strategic focus is on solid cancers including
breast and liver cancer in which poor survival is correlated to
Midkine expression [2] . Breast cancer is the most frequently
diagnosed life-threatening cancer in women with 2.3 million new
diagnoses per year and the second leading cause of cancer death
among women worldwide with approximately 685,000 deaths per year
[3] . While the overall survival rate is 91%, metastatic breast
cancer survival rates are circa 30% and metastasis constitute the
primary cause of death for >90% of breast cancer deaths.
Elevated Midkine has been associated with breast cancer
progression, metastasis [4] and chemotherapy resistance [5] . The
annual treatment market is circa $25 billion (estimated 8% CAGR)
[6] .
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for around 90% of liver
cancers [7] , which is the fourth-leading cause of cancer mortality
worldwide with an estimated market size of $8 billion (6.7% CAGR)
[8] . Elevated Midkine has been associated with progression,
metastasis and chemotherapy resistance in liver cancer, [9] and
because of the limited efficacy of conventional therapy [10] , the
5-year survival rate is just 21% (American Cancer Society) [11]
.
The MDK mRNA program will now progress into in vivo studies with
a targeted delivery technology to be developed in the Company's
laboratory in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Ajan Reginald, Chief Executive Officer of Roquefort
Therapeutics, said:
"We invested in mRNA to create a breakthrough medicine,
targeting hard-to-treat cancers with the highest patient mortality
rates. Less than 30% of patients with liver and metastatic breast
cancer survive 5 years and both cancers are associated with high
rates of Midkine expression. And so, with our deep expertise in
Midkine, this was a natural first target for our mRNA program.
mRNA is the most attractive field in Biotech and, within this
highly innovative filed, we are developing a unique Midkine niche.
These results, while early, validate our strategy that
demonstrating a significant reduction in both proliferation and
migration are an early proxy for metastasis. In parallel, our
intellectual property portfolio has been enhanced through updated
patent filing.
These experiments were completed on time and within budget and
form a critical part of our Midkine portfolio and our broader
anti-cancer portfolio of five programs. Our five pre-clinical
programs, which are in in vivo and in vitro studies, continue to
progress on track and we look forward to announcing further
progress in due course."
-Ends-
Enquiries:
Roquefort Therapeutics plc
Stephen West (Chairman) / Ajan +44 (0)20 3918
Reginald (CEO) 8633
Hybridan LLP (Joint Broker)
Claire Louise Noyce
Optiva Securities Limited (Joint +44 (0)203 764
Broker) 2341
+44 (0)20 3411
Christian Dennis 1881
Buchanan (Public Relations)
Ben Romney / Jamie Hooper / George +44 (0)20 7466
Beale 5000
LEI: 254900P4SISIWOR9RH34
About Roquefort Therapeutics
Roquefort Therapeutics (LSE:ROQ) is a Main Market listed biotech
company developing first in class drugs in the high value and high
growth oncology segment prior to partnering or selling to big
pharma.
Since listing in March 2021, Roquefort Therapeutics has
successfully acquired Lyramid Pty Limited, a leader in the
development of medicines for a new therapeutic target, Midkine (a
human growth factor associated with cancer progression), and most
recently acquired Oncogeni Ltd, founded by Nobel Laureate Professor
Sir Martin Evans, which has developed two families of innovative
cell and RNA oncology medicines.
Roquefort Therapeutics' portfolio consists of five fully funded,
novel patent-protected pre-clinical anti-cancer medicines. The
highly complementary profile of four best-in-class medicines
consists of:
-- Midkine antibodies with significant in vivo efficacy and toxicology studies;
-- Midkine RNA therapeutics with novel anti-cancer gene editing action;
-- Midkine mRNA therapeutics with novel anti-cancer approach
-- STAT-6 siRNA therapeutics targeting solid tumours with significant in vivo efficacy; and
-- MK cell therapy with direct and NK-mediated anti-cancer action.
For further information on Roquefort Therapeutics, please visit
www.roquefortplc.com and @RoquefortTherap on Twitter.
[1]
https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/mrna-cancer-vaccines-and-therapeutics-market-research-size-2023-2030-2023-06-05
[2] Zhang L, Song X, Shao Y, Wu C, Jiang J. Prognostic value of
Midkine expression in patients with solid tumors: a systematic
review and meta-analysis. Oncotarget. 2018 Jan 4;9(37):24821-24829.
doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.23892. PMID: 29872508; PMCID:
PMC5973861.
[3]
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer
[4] Filippou, P.S., Karagiannis, G.S. & Constantinidou, A.
Midkine (MDK) growth factor: a key player in cancer progression and
a promising therapeutic target. Oncogene 39, 2040-2054 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-019-1124-8
[5] Saikia M, Cheung N, Singh AK, Kapoor V. Role of Midkine in
Cancer Drug Resistance: Regulators of Its Expression and Its
Molecular Targeting. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 14;24(10):8739. doi:
10.3390/ijms24108739. PMID: 37240085; PMCID: PMC10218550
[6]
https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/breast-cancer-therapeutics-market
[7] https://www.nature.com/articles/s12276-020-00527-1
[8]
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/liver-cancer-diagnostic-market
[9] Gowhari Shabgah, A, Ezzatifar, F, Aravindhan, S, et al.
Shedding more light on the role of Midkine in hepatocellular
carcinoma: New perspectives on diagnosis and therapy. IUBMB Life.
2021; 73: 659- 669. https://doi.org/10.1002/iub.2458
[10] Deng Z, Yang H, Tian Y, Liu Z, Sun F, Yang P. An OX40L mRNA
vaccine inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front
Oncol. 2022 Oct 13;12:975408. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.975408. PMID:
36313716; PMCID: PMC9606466
[11]
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/liver-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html
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