MONTREAL - Theratechnologies (NASDAQ:THTX) Inc. (TSX: TH) (NASDAQ: THTX), a biopharmaceutical company, has shared findings from a peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Immunology that offer new insights into the mechanism of action of its investigational cancer treatment, sudocetaxel zendusortide. The study highlights the compound's potential to enhance immune defense mechanisms and improve tumor cell killing in combination with immunotherapy in a preclinical triple-negative breast cancer model.
The research indicates that sudocetaxel zendusortide, also known as TH1902, may activate the cGAS/STING pathway, which is crucial in the body's antitumor immunity. Results from the study show that the drug not only inhibited tumor growth but also increased immune cell infiltration when compared to docetaxel, a standard chemotherapy agent.
Christian Marsolais, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Theratechnologies, and co-author of the study, stated that the findings support the potential of combining sudocetaxel zendusortide with anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy to yield improved clinical outcomes for patients with various cancer types.
Prof. Borhane Annabi from the Université du Québec à Montréal, also a co-author, noted the observed increase in leukocyte infiltration within treated tumors, emphasizing the importance of further exploration of this combination therapy.
Sudocetaxel zendusortide is a first-of-its-kind peptide-drug conjugate that targets the sortilin receptor (SORT1), facilitating the delivery of the cytotoxic payload directly into cancer cells. The compound has received Fast Track designation from the FDA for the treatment of all sortilin-positive recurrent advanced solid tumors and is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial for advanced ovarian cancer.
The SORT1 receptor is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis and is expressed in a significant percentage of various cancer types, including endometrial, ovarian, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers.
The information in this article is based on a press release statement from Theratechnologies Inc. and does not include any speculative or promotional content. The study’s results represent an important step in cancer research, particularly for the development of new treatments targeting cold tumors, which are less responsive to current immunotherapies.
InvestingPro Insights
As Theratechnologies Inc. (NASDAQ: THTX) continues to make strides in cancer treatment research, the financial metrics and market sentiment surrounding the company provide a broader perspective on its potential. With a market capitalization of $81.31 million, the company is a smaller player in the biopharmaceutical space, which may affect its ability to fund research and development compared to larger competitors.
An important metric to consider for Theratechnologies is its Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio, which currently stands at -1.41. This negative P/E ratio indicates that the company is not profitable as of the last twelve months leading up to Q3 2023. This aligns with the InvestingPro Tips that highlight the company's lack of profitability over the same period and analysts' expectations that it will not be profitable this year. The negative P/E ratio is further emphasized by an adjusted P/E ratio of -3.95, which takes into account extraordinary items.
Despite the challenges reflected in these financial metrics, the company's stock has experienced a strong return over the last three months, with a price total return of 21.32%. This suggests that investors may see potential in the company's research developments, such as the promising results from the sudocetaxel zendusortide study. Additionally, the stock has seen a large price uptick over the last six months, with a 51.38% return, which could indicate growing investor confidence.
For those looking to delve deeper into Theratechnologies' financial health and stock performance, InvestingPro offers additional insights with a total of 9 InvestingPro Tips, including details on shareholder yield and short-term obligations. Interested investors can unlock these valuable tips with a special offer: use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription at https://www.investing.com/pro/THTX.
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