A study that vindicates the relationship between desmoid tumors and TGF (transforming growth factor)-beta signal transmission has been published in an international journal.
MedPacto stressed that the study reaffirmed the possibility of Vactosertib, a TGF-beta inhibitor, as a treatment for the desmoid tumor.
MedPacto said Tuesday that the study on new drug candidate substance Vactosertib was published in Cancers, an internationally authoritative journal on cancer.
The study, titled “Therapeutic Implications of TGF-β Pathway in Desmoid Tumor Based on Comprehensive Molecular Profiling and Clinicopathological Properties,” was conducted by a team led by Professor Kim Hyo-song of the Severance Hospital and MedPacto.
The researchers genomically analyzed tumor samples from desmoid tumor patients. As a result, they found that the signal transmission of TGF-beta was highly active in desmoid tumors compared to other sarcomas.
“That has proved the connection between desmoid tumor and TGG-beta signaling,” MedPacto said.
According to MedPacto, the research team also found that combining the existing treatment Imatinib (Glivec in the product name) and Vactosertib reduces the survival rate of desmoid tumor cells compared to the Imatinib monotherapy. In addition, eleven months after administering the combo therapy, the tumor size of desmoid tumor patients noticeably decreased.
MedPacto said that the combination therapy of Vactosertib effectively inhibited the growth of the desmoid tumor, confirming its possibility as a potential treatment option in the future.
Desmoid tumors are a rare condition, also known as an aggressive fibroma. There are no drugs licensed by regulatory agencies. Imatinib is known to be effective in treating severely ill patients, but alternative therapy is required because the treatment response rate is not high.
In ASCO (American Society for Clinical Oncology) 2020, MedPacto unveiled data that showed the combo therapy of Vantosertip-Imatinib recording a six-month progression-free survival of 100 percent in phase 1b clinical trial. The PFS of the Imatinib monotherapy for six months was 65-80 percent.
“It has been scientifically proven that TGF-beta signaling is widely activated in desmoid tumors,” a MedPacto official said. “Vectosertip, which reorganized its clinical line according to 'choice and concentration' strategy, has confirmed once again that it's effective in treating desmoid tumors.”