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).
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.
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.
Patent Pending (US20250381183)
IR CU22193
Licensing Contact: Kristin Neuman
