Celixir publishes positive study results for potential cancer gene therapies showing cancer cell reduction in colon and breast cancer cell lines

Celixir publishes positive study results for potential cancer gene therapies showing cancer cell reduction in colon and breast cancer cell lines

• Promising cancer gene therapy programme using small interfering RNA (siRNA)
• Data from in vitro study published in PLOS journal

Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, 13 May 2019 – Celixir, a privately-owned company discovering and developing life-saving advanced therapies, is pleased to announce the publication of in vitro study results highlighting the potential of its novel cancer gene therapies targeting solid tumours. Celixir is developing a new gene therapy plaform using small interfering RNA (siRNA).

The study showed that all four of Celixir’s siRNA molecules reduced the number of live colon and breast cancer cells in vitro by approximately 50% within seven days by inhibiting their proliferation and increasing apoptosis (programmed cell death). The study was published in PLOS and can be viewed on the journal’s website.

Celixir is developing four siRNA molecules with the potential to be utilised as novel cancer gene therapies (programme CLXR-005). siRNA molecules are capable of blocking intracellular cancer targets that conventional medicines, such as antibodies and small molecules, typically cannot. All four of Celixir’s siRNA molecules block the novel intracellular cancer target, STAT6, which is expressed in hard to treat and drug-resistant cancers, such as colon, breast, lung, pancreatic and prostate cancers, and is typically associated with an increased malignancy and poor prognosis. The siRNA molecules have now progressed to in vivo studies.

Dr. Lee Chapman, Head of Oncology at Celixir, said: “These early results are promising and highlight the potential of Celixir’s oncology gene therapy pipeline to aid in the treatment of two of the most serious cancers, colon cancer and breast cancer.”

Ajan Reginald, Chief Executive Officer of Celixir, said: “We are encouraged by this initial data, which exemplifies the potential of siRNA as an anti-cancer technology. Our siRNA molecules block STAT-6, which is highly expressed in hard to treat, drug-resistant cancers and not typically targeted by antibodies or small molecules. This is the first publication from our exciting oncology portfolio of novel cell and gene therapies targeting drug-resistant targets.”