Pro-Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the Brussels Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research demonstrated the ability of GM-CT-01 (Davanat) to enhance the ability of tumour-specific T-lymphocytes to kill tumour cells.

Dr Pierre van der Bruggen’s team at the Ludwig Institute in Brussels, Belgium, leaders in cancer immunology research, has shown that blocking the action of Galectin-3 improves the efficacy of T lymphocytes in killing tumour cells.

Davanat, the company's lead compound, is a carbohydrate polymer that targets Galectin proteins that are over-expressed by cancer cells. Current research indicates that Galectins play important roles in cancer, including tumour cell survival, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and the ability of the cancer cell to evade the immune system.

Dr van der Bruggen reported at the Keystone Symposium on “New Frontiers at the Interface of Immunity and Glycobiology, held March 6-11, 2011 at Lake Louise, Alberta Canada, that when Davanat was incubated with tumour infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes the secretion of cytokines was markedly boosted and the ability to kill tumour cells was greatly augmented
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“Our experimental observations on cultured cells suggest that the treatment of cancer patients with Davanat could correct T cell function and we hope that combining Davanat with an anti-cancer vaccine will induce a more efficient and long-lasting anti-tumoural immune response,” said Dr Pierre van der Bruggen. A phase I/II trial has been designed using a vaccine developed at the Ludwig Institute to treat malignant melanoma with Davanat. The trial is expected to begin in Belgium this year.

“Collaborating with The Ludwig Institute represents an exciting opportunity to partner with a premier cancer research institution to further expand the use of Davanat our novel, Galectin-targeting compound, to treat cancer in combination with vaccines,” said Anatole Klyosov, PhD, chief scientist, Pro-Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

“We are excited about the prospects for combining Davanat with tumour vaccines as a way to extend Galectin therapeutics in the therapy of cancer. Our pre-clinical, phase I and phase II clinical trials have demonstrated the ability of Davanat to increase patient survival and reduce side effects of chemotherapy. These findings extend the mechanism of action of Davanat, suggesting that enhancing the patient’s immune function will help kill tumour cells,” said Peter G Traber, MD, chief executive officer, Pro-Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

“We believe our expertise in developing compounds that target Galectin proteins offers opportunities for the advanced treatment of cancer, fibrosis and inflammatory diseases.” The Ludwig Institute The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd (LICR) was established in 1971 by the American business magnate Daniel K Ludwig, who bequeathed a substantial proportion of his estate for the endowment of the Institute.

Davanat, the company's lead product candidate, is a polysaccharide polymer that targets Galectin proteins that are over expressed by cancer cells and interferes with their activity. Peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that Galectins affect cell development and play important roles in cancer, including tumour cell survival, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis and give the tumour the ability to evade the immune system.

The GM and GR series of compounds are first-in-class, novel carbohydrate compounds that significantly reduced collagen expression and reversed fibrosis in animal models. Uncontrolled collagen expression is a pathological process that occurs during the fibrotic process, affecting various organs leading to scar tissue. Chemical toxicity, microbial infection or physical injury cause hepatic, renal and other types of fibrosis. Carbohydrate polymers were developed and screened to inhibit collagen production in in-vivo and in-vitro fibrosis models.

Pro-Pharmaceuticals, the leader in the field of Galectin therapeutics, is engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutics that target Galectin receptors for advanced treatment of cancer and fibrosis. Initially, the product pipeline is focused on increasing the efficacy and decreasing the toxicity of chemotherapy drugs and the treatment of liver fibrosis.