- U.S.-based gene therapy developer Genprex, Inc. is developing new therapies for fighting cancer tumors and diabetes
- The company’s gene therapies for battling types 1 and 2 diabetes use a simple endoscopic procedure to introduce select insulin-boosting genes directly to the pancreas to combat insulin decline factors in the body
- The company is working with research collaborators at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and recently announced a new license agreement in relation to a gene therapy for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
- The company’s novel infusion process using related gene therapy has shown statistically significant results in preclinical testing and Genprex anticipates a pending Phase I trial following the generation of sufficient preclinical data
Clinical-stage cancer and diabetes gene therapy developer Genprex (NASDAQ: GNPX) continues to expand its intellectual property portfolio for the company’s diabetes gene therapy program, recently announcing that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement related to a particular gene therapy for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Specifically, the announcement involves a worldwide exclusive license to a patent application and related technology, and a worldwide non-exclusive license to use certain related know-how using the genes of the Pdx1 and MafA transcription factors controlled by a MafB promoter, as developed by the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt).
Genprex is developing technologies to administer disease-fighting genes that will provide new therapies in the fight against cancer and diabetes for large patient populations. In regard to the company’s diabetes approach, the Pdx1 and MafA genes are delivered directly to the pancreas through a novel infusion process (gene therapy candidates GPX-002 and GPX-003).
GPX-002 seeks a solution for type 1 diabetes, which most often appears in childhood or teen years and has no cure. In most cases, the body’s own immune system destroys the insulin-producing (islet) cells in the pancreas for some reason, slowing or stopping the production of vital sugar-regulating hormones (https://nnw.fm/WR60h).
GPX-002 changes alpha cells in the pancreas into functional beta-like cells, which can produce insulin but may be distinct enough from beta cells to help them avoid being destroyed by the body’s immune system. Preclinical testing in mouse models and subsequently in non-human primates has produced statistically significant results to this effect.
GPX-003 seeks a solution for type 2 diabetes, which is more common in adults but similarly involves insufficient quantities of the sugar-regulating insulin hormone, although not as a result of attacks by the body’s immune system. Instead, muscle, fat and liver cells simply become resistant to insulin, and the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin to regulate sugars.
GPX-003 also uses a novel infusion process to deliver Pdx1 and MafA genes directly to the pancreas, which are expected to work by rejuvenating diminished beta cells to increase insulin expression. A Phase I clinical trial in diabetic patients is pending, following the generation of sufficient preclinical data (https://nnw.fm/JTFYM).
“We are continuing to build a fortress of protection and a powerful intellectual property portfolio for our diabetes gene therapy program,” Genprex Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Rodney Varner stated in the company’s news release about the new Pitt license (https://nnw.fm/hLwSE). “The addition of this license to MafB promoter technology expands and strengthens the potential for this novel, gene therapy to treat Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.”
The company’s CMO, Mark Berger, MD, added, “What is exciting about this latest licensed technology is the early data suggests greater potency when combined with other previously licensed technologies and may be a particularly significant step forward in our construct optimization.”
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Genprex.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to GNPX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://nnw.fm/GNPX
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