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Novel Mechanism of Action of FloraStilbene Suggests Potential for Enhancing Efficacy of Checkpoint Inhibitor, CAR-T Therapies

Protection of T cells from tumor-induced suppression suggests potential for enhancing efficacy of therapies, with plans to initiate a phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Research helped to identify a novel mechanism of action of its immunotherapy-enhancing therapy made with a proprietary combination of peterostilbene and mifepristone (TSOI; FloraStilbene). The company has since filed and been issued a patent titled ‘Augmentation of oncology immunotherapies by pterostilbene containing compositions’ which covers the use of pterostilbene and various derivatives with the intent of increasing the therapeutic index of immunotherapy.

Image credit: Jennifer - stock.adobe.com

Image credit: Jennifer - stock.adobe.com

“Breast cancer takes an incredible toll on patients, which I have witnessed firsthand,” said co-inventor James Veltmeyer, MD, chief medical officer of TSOI, in a released statement. “The data presented today, which is the basis for our proposed clinical trial, potentially will help to enhance efficacy of [immunotherapy] which to date has resulted in many cures of cancers which were previously considered incurable.”

The peterostilbene and mifepristone proprietary combination therapy suppresses the loss of T cell activity caused by growing breast cancer. A series of experiments demonstrated that the combination therapy stopped degradation of a protein called T cell receptor zeta chain, which has been previously shown to be inactivated by the enzyme caspase-3. Notably, patients with breast cancer with higher levels of T cell receptor zeta chain have been reported to possess superior survival as compared to patients with lower levels.

“Immunology has revolutionized cancer therapy. Now that the concept has been established that the immune system can be trained to kill cancer, it is time to optimize the existing medications whether they be proteins, cells, or oncolytic viruses,” Famela Ramos, president and CEO of Res Nova Bio and co-inventor, said in a released statement. “Overcoming systemic immune defects induced by the cancer seems to us to be the first step in the optimization of immunotherapy. This is what we are aiming to accomplish.”

Reference

Therapeutic solutions international subsidiary Res Nova Bio Inc discovers new mechanism of action for breast cancer immunotherapy adjuvant FloraStilbene. News release. July 18, 2023. Accessed August 22, 2023. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230718408499/en/Therapeutic-Solutions-International-Subsidiary-Res-Nova-Bio-Inc-Discovers-New-Mechanism-of-Action-for-Breast-Cancer-Immunotherapy-Adjuvant-FloraStilbene%E2%84%A2

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