Nxera and Cancer Research UK present promising cancer drug study at ESMO

Innovative immunotherapeutic agent HTL0039732 shows potential in studies

Nxera Pharma and Cancer Research UK will present their ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical trial of the cancer immunotherapy HTL0039732 at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2024 Congress in Barcelona.

The trial, led by Dr Debashis Sarker of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, will be launched on 14 September.

HTL0039732, also known as NXE0039732, is an oral EP4 antagonist developed to treat various cancers in combination with other immunotherapies.

The drug works by blocking the prostaglandin E2 receptor (PGE2), which helps cancer cells evade the immune system. By attacking this receptor, HTL0039732 improves the immune system's ability to recognize and control cancer cells.

The study, sponsored by the Centre for Drug Development at Cancer Research UK, is investigating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and antitumor activity of HTL0039732 both as monotherapy and in combination with the checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab.

The first patient received the dose in August 2023 and recruitment of new patients is underway at several UK hospitals, including Addenbrooke's in Cambridge, Guy's in London and Christie in Manchester.

Dr. Sarker was excited to present the study's progress and emphasized the potential of HTL0039732 to improve treatment options for patients with advanced solid tumors. The goal of the study is to find new ways to harness the immune system to fight cancer and offer hope to patients with cancers that are resistant to current therapies.

HTL0039732 was developed using Nxera's NxWave platform and has shown promising results in preclinical studies. The presentation at ESMO will provide an update on the study's progress and future developments.