PanTher Therapeutics Doses First Two Patients in Phase 1 Trial of PTM-101 for Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–PanTher Therapeutics (PanTher), a clinical-stage oncology company developing next-generation targeted therapies for solid tumors, announced today the dosing of the first two patients in its Phase 1 first-in-human clinical trial of PTM-101 for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

“Our hope is that this technology will provide physicians a novel therapeutic modality without disrupting the current standard of care. The initiation of this first-in-human study could represent an important advance in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.”

PanTher’s proprietary treatment platform focuses on direct, localized, and sustained delivery of proven and novel therapeutic agents, attacking cancer at the source. Pancreatic cancer has one of the poorest prognoses of all malignancies, and responses to currently available systemic therapies are inadequate. PTM-101 is PanTher’s lead clinical candidate and is designed to intensively target pancreatic tumors and enhance therapeutic effect with minimal systemic toxicity.

This first-in-human trial will evaluate feasibility, safety, and pharmacokinetics of PTM-101 when used as part of a standard procedure for treatment of patients with locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

“Launching the PTM-101 Phase 1 trial signals a major step toward our goal of improving therapeutic options for patients with difficult-to-treat solid tumors,” said Laura Indolfi, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of PanTher Therapeutics. “We are thrilled to partner with Dr. Charles Pilgrim and his team at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne as we incorporate PTM-101 into the treatment for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.”

The principal investigator of the PTM-101 clinical trial is Charles Pilgrim, MBBS, FRACS, PhD, FACS, who is an Associate Professor of Surgery at The Alfred, Central Clinical School, Monash University and a Senior trauma instructor and examiner for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Dr. Pilgrim is a surgeon-scientist with a clinical and research focus on pancreas and hepatobiliary cancers, a PhD through the University of Melbourne at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and a second fellowship in Surgical Oncology/HPB surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

“Based upon the encouraging data in animal models of pancreatic cancer, we are optimistic about the clinical potential of PTM-101 to treat patients with this devastating disease,” said J. Marc Pipas, MD, Chief Medical Officer of PanTher Therapeutics. “Our hope is that this technology will provide physicians a novel therapeutic modality without disrupting the current standard of care. The initiation of this first-in-human study could represent an important advance in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.”

About PTM-101

PanTher’s lead clinical candidate, PTM-101, is a proprietary flexible biodegradable polymeric system for the sustained release of paclitaxel to the tumor site. It allows easy integration with standard procedures to specifically target the peritumoral area.

About PanTher Therapeutics

PanTher Therapeutics (PanTher) is a clinical-stage oncology company revolutionizing cancer care with a proprietary treatment platform designed to enhance therapeutic response while minimizing side effects. The technology at the foundation of PanTher’s proprietary treatment was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was subsequently in-licensed by PanTher. The platform empowers oncologists to treat patients with life-threatening cancer by unlocking a drug’s full potential through direct, sustained treatment at the tumor site. This unique targeting capability positions PanTher to take on the deadliest and most acute cancers. PanTher is expanding its platform technology to treat additional solid tumor indications. For more information, visit www.panthertx.com.