ProLynx announces a publication proposing that a long-acting prodrug of SN-38 could be effective in treating Sacituzumab Govitecan-Resistant Tumors


SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProLynx Inc., a biotech company with a unique technology for tunable half-life extension of drugs, announced publication of a paper entitled “Could a Long-Acting Prodrug of SN-38 be Efficacious in Sacituzumab Govitecan-Resistant Tumors?” in BioDrugs https://doi.org/10.1007/s40259-024-00643-8.

In the article the authors inform: “Sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy®) is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) of a humanized anti-TROP2 monoclonal antibody (mAb), linked to SN-38 — the active metabolite of the anti-cancer drug irinotecan and a potent inhibitor of topoisomerase 1. Sacituzumab govitecan has been remarkably effective in many clinical trials and is FDA-approved for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and pre-treated HR+/ HER2- metastatic breast cancer. Unfortunately, the median progression-free survival is only about 6 months due to resistance, and there are limited rescue therapies available.” 

The authors of the publication argue that sacituzumab govitecan is not a conventional ADC since it spontaneously releases a high level of the SN-38 in the systemic circulation; the released SN-38 is so high in concentration that it must have activity apart from its action as an ADC payload. Hence, sacituzumab govitecan likely acts as a simple prodrug of systemic SN-38 as well as an ADC. The authors posit that a long-acting SN-38, such as ProLynx PLX038, should be an efficacious and less toxic prodrug of systemic SN-38 than sacituzumab govitecan, and could serve as a therapy for certain forms of resistance mechanisms to sacituzumab govitecan.

Daniel Santi, Cofounder and President of ProLynx, stated: “We will know whether our hypothesis is correct after a soon-to-start trial of our long-acting PLX038 in Trodelvy-resistant patients at the Curie institute” {NCT06162351;TOPOLOGY}.

About ProLynx. ProLynx is a biotechnology company developing proprietary systems to improve pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of proteins, peptides and small molecules. The company is located in San Francisco, CA. For further information see www.ProLynxinc.com or email BD@ProLynxinc.com.