Alcyone Lifesciences, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical medical device company focusing on developing products for the treatment of difficult neuropathological conditions, and DNAtrix, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company developing virus-based immunotherapy products for cancer, today announced a collaboration to investigate Alcyone’s Microcatheter System for delivery of therapeutics for brain tumor. Under the collaboration, Alcyone and DNAtrix will establish proof of concept for a proprietary direct delivery device in a preclinical setting.
“We are pleased to announce this collaboration between Alcyone’s platform technology and a promising experimental brain cancer therapy from DNAtrix,” said Rich Upton, General Partner, Harbor Light Capital Partners and a Board of Director at Alcyone Lifesciences, Inc.
A prerequisite for the efficacy of any cancer drug is that it reaches the tumor in therapeutic concentrations. For brain tumors, it is often desirable and more effective to deliver anti-cancer agents such as DNAtrix’s oncolytic immunotherapy, directly to the tumor mass using catheters or needles. Alycone’s Microcatheter System is specifically designed to provide enhanced reliability for direct intratumoral delivery.
“We are excited to be working with Alcyone on the development of a unique delivery system for direct intratumoral delivery,” said Frank Tufaro, Ph.D., CEO of DNAtrix. “We feel this could provide an important option for neurosurgeons as we develop additional products for treating a variety of brain tumors, including brain metastases.”
“We look forward to working with the DNAtrix team to improve treatment for a disease where little options exist for patients,” said David Donabedian, Ph.D., Independent Board Director of Alcyone Lifesciences. Dr. Donabedian adds, “Targeted delivery to the brain, particularly to brain tumors, is an important challenge, and Alcyone’s platform technology may greatly enhance the PK profile of a variety of active molecules.”
About Glioblastoma
Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in humans that is resistant to conventional therapies. It accounts for 52% of all functional tissue brain tumor cases and 20% of all intracranial tumors. The current standard of care — surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy — has extended the overall median survival to only 14.6 months. Treatment of glioblastoma remains an unmet medical need wherein new therapeutic modalities are essential requisites for impacting the course of this disease.
About Alcyone LifeSciences
Alcyone Lifesciences is a Concord, MA based private biopharmaceutical medical device company focused on development of novel treatment modalities for difficult neurological conditions. Alcyone Lifesciences was founded in 2010 by PJ Anand, CEO of Alcyone Lifesciences, Adam Fleisher, MD., Associate Professor of Neuroscience, UCSD, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and William Olbricht, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University. For more information about Alcyone, please visit www.alcyonels.com.
About DNATrix
DNAtrix is a Houston-based, private biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. For more information about DNAtrix, please visit www.dnatrix.com.
