LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CytRx Corporation
(NASDAQ: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical research and development
company specializing in oncology, today highlighted recent progress
achieved by its discovery laboratory with its innovative LADR™
(Linker Activated Drug Release) Technology Platform and provided an
update for its oncology pipeline.
The LADR™ platform is a discovery engine combining CytRx's
expertise in linker chemistry and albumin biology to create a
pipeline of anti-cancer molecules that will avoid unacceptable
systemic toxicity while delivering highly potent agents directly to
the tumor. During 2017, CytRx's discovery laboratory, located
in Freiburg, Germany, has
synthesized and tested over 75 rationally designed drug conjugates
with highly potent cytotoxic payloads, and two distinct classes of
compounds have been created. To date, four lead candidates
have been selected based on in vitro and animal preclinical
studies, stability, and manufacturing feasibility. Additional
animal efficacy and toxicology testing of these lead candidates is
underway, and CytRx is anticipating several milestones associated
with the LADR™ candidates in the upcoming months and quarters.
"Our approach has the potential to address patients with a broad
range of tumor types, and our plan is to further personalize these
treatments for the individual patient," commented Felix Kratz, PhD, CytRx's Vice President of Drug
Discovery. "In parallel, we plan to begin discussions with
big pharma and biotech for a potential strategic alliance based on
our proprietary LADR™ technology."
"We are extremely proud of the achievements made to date by
Felix and his world-class drug discovery team," said Steven A. Kriegsman, CytRx's Chairman and
CEO. "CytRx researchers have created novel drug candidates
and observed highly promising results in a variety of solid tumor
preclinical models. We expect to nominate one or more LADR™
candidates for clinical development by the end of the first quarter
of 2018. While we had hoped to make this announcement by the
end of this year, the analysis of the individual organs from the
animals in the toxicology studies will not be completed until the
first quarter next year. Additionally, we plan to begin GMP
manufacturing for our LADR™ linkers this quarter because
manufacturing is on the critical path to start clinical trials next
year. We are extremely eager to move these programs into
clinical trials and look forward to keeping our stockholders
updated on our progress."
Upcoming LADR™ milestones include:
- File one or more patent applications during the fourth quarter
of 2017
- Initiate the activities for GMP manufacturing of the LADR™
linkers during the fourth quarter of 2017
- Nominate one or more drug candidates for advancement into
Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies in the first
quarter of 2018.
- Initiate IND enabling studies for nominated candidate(s) during
the first half of 2018
- Present preclinical data for one or more LADR™ candidates at a
scientific meeting during the first half of 2018
- Initiate partnership discussions for high potency LADR™ drug
candidates in the first half of 2018
- Request a pre-IND meeting with the FDA during the first half of
2018 to gain agreement on the development program
- File an IND with the FDA for a first-in human clinical study
with one or more LADR™ candidates during the second half of
2018
About the LADR™ Technology Platform
CytRx's innovative LADR™ (Linker Activated Drug Release)
technology employs a broad portfolio of novel linker molecules that
selectively bind to circulating albumin and can be linked to a wide
variety of anti-cancer payloads. The Company's research
efforts currently center on creating new molecules from the
combination of ultra-high potency cytotoxic payloads with tunable
linkers. The molecules that CytRx is currently evaluating
concentrate at the tumor site providing targeted delivery of the
chemotherapeutic payloads.
About CytRx Corporation
CytRx Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in
research and clinical development of novel anti-cancer drug
candidates that employ linker technologies to enhance the
accumulation and release of drug at the tumor. Aldoxorubicin,
CytRx's most advanced drug conjugate, is an improved version of the
widely used chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin and has been
out-licensed to NantCell, Inc. CytRx is also rapidly
expanding its pipeline of ultra-high potency oncology candidates at
its laboratory facilities in Freiburg, Germany, through its LADR™ (Linker Activated
Drug Release) technology platform, a discovery engine designed to
leverage CytRx's expertise in albumin biology and linker technology
for the development of a new class of potential breakthrough
anti-cancer therapies.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such
statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
events or results to differ materially from the events or results
described in the forward-looking statements, including risks and
uncertainties relating to: our ability to achieve any or all of the
milestones discussed in this press release; the ability of
NantCell, Inc., to obtain regulatory approval for its products that
use aldoxorubicin; the ability of NantCell Inc. to manufacture and
commercialize products or therapies that use aldoxorubicin; the
amount, if any, of future milestone and royalty payments that we
may receive from NantCell; our ability to develop new ultra-high
potency drug candidates based on our LADRTM technology
platform; and other risks and uncertainties described in the most
recent annual and quarterly reports filed by CytRx with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and current reports filed since
the date of CytRx's most recent annual report. All forward-looking
statements are based upon information available to CytRx on the
date the statements are first published. CytRx undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise.
Investor Relations Contact:
Argot Partners
Michelle Carroll
(212) 600-1902
michelle@argotpartners.com
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SOURCE CytRx Corporation