4D pharma PLC (LON:DDDD, NASDAQ:LBPS) said pre-clinical research in Germany has shown its bacteria-derived immune-oncology drug worked to enhance the anti-tumour activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and CAR-T therapies.
The evaluation of animal models was carried out at Philipps-University and Marburgand Universitätsklinikum with the results published in the journal Nature Communications.
They assessed the actions of MRx1299, the company’s second-generation Live Biotherapeutic developed to prompt an immune response to cancer.
Specifically, the researchers were able to demonstrate the ability of the bacterium Megasphaera massiliensis, or more correctly, its short-chain fatty acid metabolite, pentanoate, to enhance anti-tumour activity.
4D pharma identified MRx1299 using its MicroRx platform and previously showed it to “have specific histone deacetylase inhibitory activity” and be a “rare prolific producer” of the aforementioned pentanoate.
"Our existing clinical oncology programs, such as the study of MRx0518 and Keytruda in refractory patients, have shown the important role our live biotherapeutics have to play in the fight against cancer in combination with immunotherapies,” said Dr Imke Mulder, research director of 4D pharma.
“Using the MicroRx platform we have now shown we have the potential to improve the efficacies of cell therapies such as CAR-T.
"This demonstrates not only the importance of Live Biotherapeutics as a new modality poised to revolutionise the treatment of a wide range of cancers, but also the power of our MicroRx platform to continue making significant discoveries and advances in this field."
The company is a specialist in the emerging area of the human microbiome (the bacteria that reside mainly in the gut) and has developed Live Biotherapeutics — products that contain live organisms such as human commensal bacteria.
The approach focuses on single strains to assess specific mechanisms of action targeting a defined disease pathway.
Toxicity has always been a major impediment to the success of new drugs.
In developing its Live Biotherapeutics, 4D has isolated bacteria from healthy human donors which are expected to have “highly attractive safety profiles”.