Monopar Announces MNPR-101 Radiopharma Collaboration Agreement with National University of Singapore
July 11 2023 - 7:00AM
Monopar Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: MNPR), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative
treatments for cancer, today announced a collaboration with the
Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the
National University of Singapore (NUS) to evaluate
radiopharmaceutical versions of MNPR-101 in several aggressive
cancers. MNPR-101 is a novel, first-in-class humanized monoclonal
antibody to the urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (uPAR).
Dr. Anand Jeyasekharan, MBBS MRCP (UK) PhD, of CSI
Singapore, NUS, will be the Principal Investigator on the
collaboration. Dr. Jeyasekharan is a physician-scientist who runs a
research laboratory investigating the molecular and biological
responses of cancer cells to oncology drugs, as well as treats
cancer patients and leads early phase oncology clinical trials at
NUS.
In this collaboration, Dr. Jeyasekharan will
initially investigate uPAR expression levels in tissue samples from
patients with various subtypes of advanced soft tissue sarcoma
(ASTS). Studies have shown uPAR to be a promising target for ASTS,
which is a cancer Dr. Jeyasekharan specializes in treating. He
plans to assess retrospective patient samples to identify which
subtypes of ASTS have the highest expression of uPAR, thus making
them the most promising to pursue in a human clinical trial.
“uPAR is an exciting target for ASTS, and a
radiopharmaceutical approach using MNPR-101 has the potential to
combine personalized medicine with precision oncology,” said Dr.
Jeyasekharan. “We have the chance here to use immunohistochemistry
on patient tissue samples to identify high uPAR expressing cancers,
to then work with our colleagues in radiology and nuclear medicine
to radiolabel MNPR-101 for a subsequent clinical imaging study. For
patients with positive scans, a therapeutic isotope such as Lu-177
or Ac-225 may provide an interesting option for a clinical
trial.”
“It is exciting what Dr. Jeyasekharan and NUS are
aiming to do here,” said Chandler Robinson, MD, CEO of Monopar.
“They are seeing if we can select patients most likely to respond
at the time of tissue biopsy. And from there, if you can see it on
PET/SPECT imaging with a radiopharmaceutical version of MNPR-101,
you can treat it. Dr. Jeyasekharan is uniquely equipped to
undertake this endeavor, too, as he can oversee both the
preclinical work as well as the overall management of patients
under standard Phase 1 protocols.”
About Monopar Therapeutics Inc.
Monopar Therapeutics is a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative
treatments for cancer patients. Monopar’s pipeline consists of
camsirubicin (Phase 1b) for the treatment of advanced soft tissue
sarcoma; MNPR-101, a late-stage preclinical antibody for
radiopharmaceutical use in advanced cancers; and MNPR-202, an
early-stage camsirubicin analog for various cancers. For more
information, visit: www.monopartx.com.
About the Cancer Science Institute of
Singapore (CSI Singapore)
The Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI) is
one of only six Research Centres of Excellence established by the
Government of Singapore with funding from the National Research
Foundation and the Ministry of Education. Its mission is to better
understand the causes of human cancer across Asia, and thereby
improve its detection, treatment and prevention for the benefit of
the patients. The CSI’s outstanding researchers and excellent
scientific facilities create an energetic environment for
ground-breaking research and world-class training. The CSI is
internationally recognized for its innovative research on the
biology of cancers prevalent in Asia, and for taking new methods
for cancer treatment from the laboratory to the clinic. Through its
local and global partnerships, the CSI works with leading
minds from multiple scientific and clinical disciplines in
Singapore, the USA and Europe, both in academia and in
industry.
For more information on CSI Singapore,
visit: https://csi.nus.edu.sg/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release
regarding matters that are not historical facts are
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “may,” “will,”
“could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,”
“intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,”
“continue,” “target” and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these identifying
words. Examples of these forward-looking statements include
statements concerning: whether under the collaboration, Dr.
Jeyasekharan will investigate uPAR expression levels in tissue
samples from advanced soft tissue sarcoma (ASTS) patients; whether
uPAR is a target for ASTS; that Dr. Jeyasekharan plans to use
patient samples to see which subtypes of ASTS have the highest
expression of uPAR, thus making them the most ideal for pursuing in
a human clinical trial; that a radiopharmaceutical approach using
MNPR-101 has the potential to combine personalized medicine with
precision oncology; whether radiolabeled MNPR-101 will be used to
image ASTS patients, and whether a therapeutic isotope such as
Lu-177 or Ac-225 will be used treat ASTS patients. The
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties
including, but not limited to: Monopar’s inability to raise
additional capital to complete future preclinical and clinical
development; negative or inconclusive data from the studies of
MNPR-101 and related radiopharmaceuticals conducted in the
collaboration with CSI at the NUS; if successful, the potential for
commercialization, including uncertainties about levels of demand
of MNPR-101 and related radiopharmaceuticals; and the significant
general risks and uncertainties surrounding the research,
development, regulatory approval and commercialization of
diagnostics and therapeutics. Actual results may differ materially
from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Risks are described more fully in Monopar’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements
contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which
they were made. Monopar undertakes no obligation to
update such statements to reflect events that occur or
circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release
represent Monopar’s views only as of the date hereof and
should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any
subsequent date.
CONTACT:
Monopar Therapeutics
Inc. Investor RelationsKim R. TsuchimotoChief
Financial Officerkimtsu@monopartx.com
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