MedPacto Reveals Four Research Achievements at US AACR

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] MedPacto, a biomarker-based innovative drug development company, announced on the 12th that it presented four research achievements at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

At the online AACR 2021, MedPacto presented a total of four research achievements, including preclinical results of the combination therapy of Betosertib and Onivyde for pancreatic cancer, two follow-up pipelines of Betosertib (BAG2, DRAK1), and biomarker analysis of TGF-β in desmoid tumors.

The first presentation was about the combination therapy of Betosertib and Onivyde targeting pancreatic cancer. In this study, MedPacto confirmed that the combination therapy significantly reduced cancer cell metastasis and greatly improved survival rates compared to Onivyde monotherapy. According to the presentation materials, using an animal model for 50 days of combination therapy, the survival rates were 23% for the untreated group, 53% for the existing treatment group, and 84% for the Betosertib combination group. This suggests promising potential as a new treatment option.

Along with this, MedPacto also disclosed research results on the mechanism of action of the BAG2 protein. In collaboration with Gangnam Severance Hospital, MedPacto analyzed blood and tissue samples from domestic breast cancer patients and confirmed that BAG2 expression was significantly higher in triple-negative breast cancer, which tends to metastasize easily. They also found that breast cancer patients with high levels of BAG2 in their blood had significantly lower survival rates. This study confirmed the potential success of developing antibody therapeutics targeting the BAG2 protein and diagnostic kits as biomarkers for breast cancer metastasis and recurrence.

The third research achievement was on the mechanism of action of DRAK1. DRAK1 is a candidate substance whose mechanism in cervical cancer was first identified worldwide by CEO Sungjin Kim, and it was confirmed to be closely related to the TRAF6 protein. In this study, MedPacto confirmed that TRAF6 in cervical cancer induces tumor activation and cancer metastasis, and that TRAF6 can be regulated depending on the expression level of DRAK1, thereby inhibiting cancer metastasis or tumor activation. MedPacto explained that this is a meaningful achievement in terms of confirming the potential of DRAK1 as a biomarker for cervical cancer and inflammatory diseases depending on its expression.

The final presentation was biomarker analysis results for desmoid tumors, a rare cancer type. Using genome decoding technology and comparative analysis with Yonsei Cancer Center and TCGA data, MedPacto confirmed that TBRS gene expression is considerably high in many desmoid tumor patients. Therefore, they concluded that using TGF-β inhibitors in desmoid tumors would show high therapeutic efficacy. Currently, MedPacto plans to conduct multinational clinical trials within the year for Betosertib aimed at treating desmoid tumors.

A MedPacto official stated, “The four research achievements presented this time were a very encouraging opportunity as they suggested new treatment possibilities for various cancer types,” and added, “We plan to continuously share meaningful research results not only on Betosertib but also on follow-up pipelines through global academic conferences.”