In pursuit of our mission, advancing tomorrow's discoveries, Advanced Cancer Therapeutics has obtained exclusive licenses to four (4) novel anti-cancer therapeutics and one pharmaceutical vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) derived from tobacco plants, which may provide patients broad protection against many strains of HPV, as well as provide a cost-effective alternative to existing HPV vaccines on the market today. The pipeline below depicts these products selected from several opportunities discovered by scientists at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center in Louisville.

prioritized anti-cancer product pipeline

In April 2011, ACT acquired 100% rights to Antisoma’s clinical stage asset, AS1411, now referred to as ACT-GRO-777. ACT-GRO-777 is an aptamer that binds to a protein called nucleolin which is found on the surface of many cancer cells. ACT-GRO-777 binds to nucleolin and causes cancer cell death. Phase I and II human clinical trials have reported evidence of anti-cancer activity and a favorable safety profile. ACT is evaluating ACT-GRO-777 for additional human cancer trials in collaboration with the James Graham Brown Cancer Center.

PU27 (Oligo Quadruplex)

PU27 is a synthetic oligonucleotide which is a novel anticancer compound. It represents a naturally occurring, genomic DNA sequence which is present in two copies in every human cell. PU27 has the ability to form four-stranded (quadruplex) DNA and is located in the promoter of the c-myc gene, a gene which is involved in more than 80% of human tumors. We have demonstrated that the addition of exogenous PU27 inhibits the growth of cancer cells but has no effect on nonmalignant cells. PU27 is active against a wide variety of tumor types, including leukemia, prostate cancer, renal cancer and breast cancer cell lines. The growth inhibitory activity of PU27 was discovered because of its ability to bind and inhibit the enzymatic activity of a-enolase, a glycolytic pathway enzyme. Treated cells also demonstrate altered oncogene expression and decreased telomerase activity.

PFKFB3 (small molecule)

High glucose consumption is common in cancer cells versus normal cells. 3PO is a novel small molecule which has already demonstrated anti-cancer effects in five (5) different animal cancer models. Involving both hematological (blood cancers) and solid tumors, there have been no noticeable toxic affects to these animals at low and high doses. 3PO's novel mechanism of action blocks the uptake of glucose in cancer cells, starving cancer cells of an important source of energy needed for growth and disease progression. Based on our in-depth knowledge of this key molecular target in oncology, ACT is developing a series of next generation small molecule compounds through its medicinal chemistry efforts.

Choline Kinase (small molecule)

Choline metabolism is altered in a wide variety of cancers including, lung, breast, ovarian, brain, and prostate cancers. Choline Kinase, the enzyme responsible for the generation of phosphocholine, is the most important enzyme associated with choline metabolism and cell proliferation and is over expressed in most solid tumors. A small molecule, referred to as CK37, inhibits cell proliferation, choline kinase enzymatic activity, and tumor growth in xenograft studies without signs of toxicity. ACT’s medicinal chemistry group is developing analogs to optimize the biologic and pharmacologic properties of CK37 prior to initiating IND enabling studies.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of cervical cancer and approximately 20 million people are currently infected with this sexually transmitted disease (STD). According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection by age 50 with about 6.2 million Americans contracting a new genital HPV infection each year. The U.S. FDA recently approved the first HPV cervical cancer vaccine that includes a portion of the L1 capsid protein (Gardasil by Merck & Co.) to guard against this terrible disease. Advanced Cancer Therapeutics is developing a novel HPV vaccine which targets the L2 capsid protein that we believe should provide broader immune protection to patients at risk of contracting cervical cancer. ACT intends to manufacture its novel HPV vaccine from tobacco mosaic plants, promising to be very cost effective for people at risk of contracting HPV in both developed and developing nations