To Catch an Apex Predator: AdAPT-001 Traps TGF-β, the Untamed Master Checkpoint
Like an apex predator, which dominates the entire ecosystem, the TGF-β cytokine exercises top-down control over other immunosuppressive cytokines and checkpoints in the tumor microenvironment. The EpicentRx lead candidate, AdAPT-001, is an adenovirus that expresses a TGF-β “trap”. This trap stalks and traps the TGF-β cytokine hopefully for improved patient outcomes. Initial data from a Phase 1/2 with AdAPT-001 both alone and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors demonstrate that AdAPT-001 is well-tolerated with evidence of direct and abscopal tumor responses. The antitumor responses seen with checkpoint inhibitors in checkpoint inhibitor-resistant tumors suggest a mechanism of synergy between the two therapies.
Dr. Tony Reid is the inventor of the AdAPT Immunotherapy Platform and a pioneer in the field of Immuno-Oncology, fueled by his 30-year tenure as a practicing oncologist, professor, and translational researcher at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Dr. Reid joined EpicentRx as CEO and has since retired from practice as an oncologist to focus on fighting cancer with next generation of immune activating therapies.
AdAPT™ Platform Manufacturability
The manufacture of pharmaceutical grade gene therapy vectors at the scale needed for large phase trials and commercialization has historically been a rate-limiting bottleneck with prohibitively long lead times. Thanks to the unique expertise of dedicated EpicentRx personnel, the company has developed a robust, high-titer process suitable for clinical studies all within its own GMP facility.
