HCW Biologics Inc (NASDAQ:HCWB) has announced the publication of a scientific paper in Molecular Therapy highlighting preclinical data of its lead program, HCW9218.
- The preclinical data demonstrated that HCW9218 enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy of chemotherapy drugs and diminished their harmful side effects by reducing therapy-induced senescence (TIS).
- Cellular senescence is an essential mechanism for tumor suppression. However, chemotherapy & radiation, standard-of-care anti-cancer regimens, cause the accumulation of senescent cells both in tumor and normal tissue.
- Paradoxically, Cellular senescence protects non-dividing cancer cells by limiting the effect of chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation and contributes to chemoresistance, radiation resistance, disease relapse, and systemic side effects.
- In addition, the data exhibited that HCW9218 in combination chemotherapies can further augment the anti-cancer activities of therapeutic and immune-checkpoint antibodies against solid tumors.
- HCW Biologics received FDA clearance in October 2021 of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Phase 1b trial to evaluate HCW9218 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
- Price Action: HCWB shares are up 11.1% at $2.30 during the premarket session on the last check Thursday.
