Validation of KQ-791 in combination immunotherapies cancer models

Challenge: The knowledge gained in cancer immunology has increased the list of new therapeutic applications. Yet, these approaches (CAR-T, check-point inhibitors and others) are still suffering from several drawbacks, among them: very high cost, more complex biological or/and cellular-based technologies, lack of efficiency against solid tumours, difficulties in validating multiple combination therapies, increased difficulty in selection of treatment timeline, serious side effects and even lethal complication in patients. Therefore, ideal immunotherapy should be cheaper, easily accessible, usable against many types of cancers, safe and functional in different combination therapies.

Solution: Kanyr’s expertise in the past six years was to develop, characterize and validate the use of inhibitors of the protein tyrosine phosphatases PTP1B and TC-PTP) to improve cancer immunotherapy. The research team’s publications confirm that their inhibition provides increased immunotherapy activity against tumours and directly inhibits the pro-oncogenic effect of these two enzymes in breast, prostate and melanoma cancer cells. This study aims to validate the use of this characterized inhibitor, KQ-791, as a first-in-class cancer immunotherapeutic.

Expected Achievements /Impacts: The overall objective is to test the therapeutic value of KQ791 in selected mouse cancer models of the two most common cancers: triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC). Thus, opening the way to rapidly pursue phase 1b clinical trials since KQ791 has already been safely used in diabetes type II human clinical trials. A positive outcome will attract major partners to rapidly initiate clinical trials, benefit patients and reduce the financial burden on our health system.