Radiopharm Theranostics Ltd (ASX:RAD, OTC:RDPTF) has unveiled promising results from a study on its innovative treatment, DUNP19 (RAD 502), led by Dr David Ulmert and his team at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Halting tumour progression
The study, now available as a preprint on BioRxiv, demonstrates the potential of DUNP19 in halting tumour progression and enhancing survival rates across various cancer models.
DUNP19 is a monoclonal antibody specifically targeting Leucine-Rich Repeat Containing 15 (LRRC15), a cellular marker found in several solid tumours.
This antibody is at the forefront of Radiopharm's push towards addressing the urgent need for advanced cancer treatments.
The study's findings reveal that DUNP19, when labelled with Lutetium-177, not only facilitates non-invasive clinical imaging but also serves as a targeted radioimmunotherapy, potentially overcoming immunotherapy resistance.
LRRC15 expression is noted in a wide array of aggressive cancers, including breast, head and neck, lung and pancreatic cancers, as well as those originating from connective tissue like osteosarcoma, glioblastoma, and melanoma.
The dual functionality of DUNP19, enabling both precise imaging and therapy, marks a significant leap in treating LRRC15-expressing tumours, which have historically had limited options for targeted therapy.
The study, titled 'Development of a LRRC15-Targeted Radio-Immunotheranostic Approach to Deplete Pro-tumorigenic Mechanisms and Immunotherapy Resistance' outlines a groundbreaking approach to cancer treatment.
Potent candidate for development
It provides early evidence of DUNP19's ability to target pathways associated with immunotherapy resistance and poor prognosis, making it a potent candidate for further clinical development.
Dr Ulmert, who is co-inventor of the DUNP19 platform and also a member of Radiopharm’s Scientific Advisory Board, said: "Our transcriptomic analyses of [177Lu]-DUNP19-treated tumours indicate a reduction in pro-tumorigenic mechanisms, including TGFβ-driven LRRC15+ signature associated with resistance to immunotherapy.
“These findings underscore the potential of radio-theranostic targeting of LRRC15 as a powerful precision medicine platform.”