logo-loader

VolitionRx Limited inks R&D collaboration deals with Xenetic Biosciences and Salarius Pharmaceuticals in push to develop cancer treatments

Published: 09:57 02 Aug 2022 EDT

Handshake
Volition work with Xenetic Biosciences to evaluate the potential combination of its Nu.Q NETs Test and Xenetic's DNase-Armored CAR T platform

VolitionRx (NYSE-A:VNRX) Limited has inked a pair of research and development collaborations that will develop targeted, adoptive cell therapies to treat cancer and help advance a drug designed to treat solid and hematologic cancers.

First off, the company will collaborate with Xenetic Biosciences (NASDAQ:XBIO) Inc to evaluate the potential combination of Volition's Nu.Q NETs Test and Xenetic's DNase-Armored CAR T platform to develop proprietary adoptive cell therapies potentially targeting multiple types of solid cancers.

NETs, or Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, are “associated with poor patient outcomes in a range of diseases, such as COVID-19, sepsis and cancer,” Volition chief scientific officer Jake Micallef NETs said in a statement. “NETs are specifically implicated in metastatic cancer and removing them has been shown to prevent the spread of disease.”

READ: VolitionRx announces pricing of underwritten public offering of 3 million shares at a public offering price of $2 each

Volition's Nu.Q technology can specifically recognize and target epigenetically modified nucleosomes, while Xenetic's DNase-Armored CAR T platform is designed to enhance the function of CAR T cells within solid tumor microenvironments. 

Under the terms of the deal, Volition will fund a research program and the two parties will share proceeds from the commercialization or licensing of any products arising from the collaboration.

Volition’s other R&D collaboration is with Salarius Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SLRX) Inc to advance rapid epigenetic profiling by using Volition’s Nu.Q technology to support further development of Salarius’ clinical-stage drug, seclidemstat.

Seclidemstat, is a novel oral, reversible, targeted LSD1 inhibitor that affects gene expression. It is currently in Phase 1/2 clinical studies for solid and hematologic cancers where LSD1 is implicated in disease progression. 

“We are delighted to collaborate with Volition and believe its Nu.Q technology may provide valuable biomarker information as we seek to advance the development of seclidemstat in multiple clinical indications,” Salarius CEO David Arthur said in a separate statement. “Biomarkers allow for a noninvasive method for determining target engagement and potential drug activity in patients.”

Volition is primarily focused on human diagnostics and monitoring, but also has a subsidiary focused on animal diagnostics and monitoring. The company's research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with an innovation laboratory and an office in the US and additional offices in London and Singapore.

Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel

Australian Strategic Materials signs US$600 million LoI

Rowena Smith, CEO and managing director of Australian Strategic Materials Ltd (ASX:ASM, OTC:ASMMF), joins Jonathan Jackson in the Proactive studio to discuss the company’ s Dubbo Project, in Central West New South Wales. This project aims to extract and process critical minerals and rare earth...

5 hours, 5 minutes ago