Therapy for EGFR-mutant lung cancer

This technology identifies and targets a specific intracellular signaling axis to reduce brain metastasis and metastatic relapse in lung cancers with mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Unmet Need: Treatment for EGFR-mutant lung cancer that can prevent brain metastasis

Current methods for treating lung cancer utilize Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs). However, some cancer cells can become resistant to TKIs, while others can evade their effects, resulting in the development of brain metastases. Although new generation drugs like osimertinib can cross the blood-brain barrier and should be able to target brain metastases, many patients still suffer from lethal metastatic relapse, often to the brain. There are currently no effective treatment methods that target the underlying EGFR-independent mechanisms driving brain relapse in EGFR-resistant lung cancer.

The Technology: Treatment for suppressing brain metastasis relapse in EGFR-mutant lung cancer

This technology targets a specific intracellular protein that drives brain metastasis relapse in EGFR-mutated lung cancer through the retinoic acid (RA) signaling pathway. The pathway is targeted using pan-RA receptor antagonists to specifically suppress cells that express high levels of this protein. This technology can be used in combination to improve the effectiveness of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in treating EGFR-mutated lung cancer and can especially improve prognosis in patients with higher levels of this protein, who may be more susceptible to brain metastatic relapse.

This technology has been validated in mouse models of EGFR-mutated lung cancer.

Applications:

• Treatment for brain metastatic relapse in EGFR-mutated lung cancer
• Treatment of cancer patients with osimertinib resistance
• Diagnostic assay for susceptibility to brain metastatic relapse
• Diagnostic assay for osimertinib resistance

Advantages:

• Prevents brain metastatic relapse
• Improves prognosis of EGFR-mutated lung cancers
• Can be used in combination with current methods of treatment like Osimertinib
• Improves effectiveness of TKIs

Lead Inventor:

Swarnali Acharyya, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending (WO/2023/141659)

Related Publications:

• Biswas AK, Han S, Tai Y, Ma W, Coker C, Quinn SA, Shakri AR, Zhong TJ, Scholze H, Lagos GG, Mela A, Manova-Todorova K, de Stanchina E, Ferrando AA, Mendelsohn C, Canoll P, Yu HA, Paik PK, Saqi A, Shu CA, Kris MG, Massague J, Acharyya S. “Targeting S100A9-ALDH1A1-Retinoic Acid Signaling to Suppress Brain Relapse in EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancer.” Cancer Discov. 2022 Apr 1;12(4): 1002-1021

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU22193

• Licensing Contact: Kristin Neuman