Advantages
Mechanism-focused strategy that directly targets the biological drivers of platinum resistance, rather than adding further cytotoxic burden on tumor cells
Current Stage and Key Data
Current Stage
- Small RNA species enriched in tumor tissue–derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) associated with the acquisition of platinum resistance have been identified.
Proof-of-concept antitumor efficacy of antisense oligonucleotides against these small RNAs has been demonstrated in in vivo mouse models.
Key Data
- EVs isolated from platinum-resistant ovarian cancer tissues increased the proportion of EV-positive T cells and led to reduced T-cell activation marker expression and significantly decreased interferon-γ production.
- In a mouse model, the antisense oligonucleotide neutralized the effect of cancer cell–derived EVs that confer resistance to carboplatin (CBDCA), resulting in suppression of tumor growth.
Background and Technology
Platinum-based chemotherapy with agents such as cisplatin and carboplatin remains a backbone treatment for ovarian cancer, yet early relapse within 6 months (platinum-resistant disease) continues to be a major barrier to improving survival outcomes.
This program is built on antisense oligonucleotides targeting specific small RNAs highly enriched in EVs derived from tumor tissues of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, with the aim of alleviating T-cell functional impairment and downstream drug inactivation pathways that contribute to platinum resistance.
Partnaring Model
- Collaborative evaluation of technology, patent licensing, and/or joint research and development in partnership with The University of Osaka.
- Target partners: pharmaceutical and biotech companies focused on nucleic acid therapeutics and anticancer drug development.
- Partners interested in combining this approach with their own drug delivery (DDS) platforms are also welcomed.
Principal Investigator
Kentaro JINGUSHI Associate professor / Lecturer (Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Osaka)
Patents
Patent application filed (unpublished)