Convert Pharmaceuticals, a pioneering Belgian biotech company developing CP-506, a novel hypoxia-activated prodrug, announces clinical readiness and marks a significant milestone in the fight against cancer treatment resistance. This development rekindles optimism in a high potential field pioneered by Threshold Pharma's Merck-backed candidate, which paved the way for continued advancements.
The company's progress has been recognized with a prestigious €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program.
CP-506: Promising Start to Tackling Hypoxia, a Persistent Challenge in Oncology
With a prevalence of more than 50% in solid tumors, hypoxia remains one of the most critical and unresolved challenges in oncology. Tumor hypoxia is characterized by low oxygen levels in parts of solid tumors, and has long been associated with increased malignancies and treatment resistance across various modalities, particularly for immunotherapy (cf. Figure 1 below).
Convert Pharma’s CP-506 Hypoxia-Activated Prodrugs (“HAP”) “is a next-generation of HAP designed to selectively activate in hypoxic regions in a broad range of solid tumors” say J. Smaill and A. Patterson, co-inventors of the drug from the University of Auckland (cf. details in Figure 2 below). “The pre-clinical results displayed strong anti-tumoral effects, superior pharmacokinetic properties, and a doubling of positive response to several immunotherapies when combined with CP-506”.
The Phase I-IIa clinical trial for CP-506 adopts a tumor-agnostic approachwith centers to recruit in the Netherlands, with additional centers opening soon in Belgium and Spain.
To enhance patient outcomes and increased trial success, Convert Pharma has developed companion AI- and genetic biomarkers, a first for a HAP’s clinical trial. This cutting-edge, personalized medicine approach is designed to identify patients most likely to benefit from CP-506, integrating seamlessly with existing standards of care.
Dr. Barry Selick, former CEO of Threshold Pharma, commented, “Despite the progress made in recent years with immuno-oncology approaches for cancer treatment, truly effective therapies for solid tumors remain elusive. Convert Pharma has impressively built on the foundation established by our earlier work at Threshold Pharmaceuticals. CP-506 incorporates the best design principles from those efforts, and Convert’s early results, including their innovative biomarker strategy, are promising. I am confident that the team has all the necessary elements in place to develop a significant therapeutic for this critical unmet need, which is a hallmark of virtually all solid malignancies.”
€2.5M European Grant and Ongoing Series A
Evaluated by a panel of experts, Convert Pharmaceuticals was awarded the maximum €2.5 million non-dilutive grant from the highly competitive European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program, which boasts a mid single-digit acceptance rate.
Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied in such statements.
About Convert Pharmaceuticals
Convert Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage Belgian biotech company developing innovative hypoxia-activated prodrugs for the treatment of resistant solid tumors. Leveraging proprietary insights into tumor hypoxia and expertise in drug and biomarker development, the company aims to deliver effective and well-tolerated treatments that meet the unmet needs of hard-to-treat cancer patients. The company has recently been awarded a grant from the European Innovation Council's Accelerator Program.
Email: [email protected]
About Prof. Dr. Philippe Lambin
Philippe Lambin, MD, Prof, PhD (H-index: 138) is a leading clinician scientist and oncologist with a PhD in Molecular Biology, specializing in translational research and Key Opinion Leader on tumor hypoxia, radiomics and clinical decision support systems. He is a multi-entrepreneur and the Founder & CEO of Convert Pharmaceuticals.
