twoXAR & 1ST Biotherapeutics: Drug Development Collaboration to Treat Brain Cancer

by: Tim Heuer, PhD
Senior Director Translational Science, twoXAR

Having devoted my professional life to the discovery and development of novel therapies to tackle life-threatening diseases, including drug-resistant forms of cancer, I am thrilled to be working with an innovative discovery approach for the treatment of glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma multiforme (“glioblastoma”) is the most common and deadly form of brain cancer globally. It aggressively invades brain tissue and causes rapid onset of neurological symptoms. This invasion includes fostering a highly vascularized microenvironment and intricate interactions between tumor and non-tumor cells within the brain which promotes its growth and survival despite current treatments. Treatments today most often combine temozolomide chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but unfortunately provide limited benefit for the vast majority of patients. Because of the tumor’s features, treatment resistance (primary or acquired) and disease relapse occur in nearly all cases. Devastating diseases with high unmet medical needs demand innovative drug discovery approaches that offer greater efficiency for the development of new, effective treatments.

Today, we are announcing our collaboration with 1ST Biotherapeutics, a preclinical-stage biotechnology company focused on neurodegenerative diseases, immuno-oncology, and orphan diseases. Both companies are committed to using the most efficient approaches to discover and develop first-in-class drug candidates. Together we will leverage twoXAR’s discovery technology and the 1ST Biotherapeutics team’s development expertise to jointly discover and develop novel, efficacious treatments with the potential to slow, stop, or reverse the progression of glioblastoma.

We believe that our teams’ capabilities are truly complementary and can accelerate the process of bringing new treatments to patients. The 1ST Biotherapeutics management team has drug development experience in CNS (central nervous system) diseases and cancer and is supported by a broader team with expertise in biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology including incorporating computational technology to develop a drug candidate that penetrates the blood brain barrier (BBB).

The biopharmaceutical industry continues to seek more impactful efficiencies; as technology continues to penetrate many aspects of our daily lives, we have the opportunity to utilize it to find better treatments for patients faster and more affordably. Technological innovations also enable drug development to be a global team endeavor and twoXAR is pleased to be teaming up with 1ST Biotherapeutics to discover and develop potential glioblastoma treatments and increase the probability of a twoXAR-discovered treatment making a meaningful impact for cancer patients.