Infuseon Therapeutics inked a deal this week with OncoSynergy to evaluate a glioblastoma therapeutic with the Cleveland Clinic spinout’s novel delivery device.
The alliance hopes to demonstrate proof-of-concept that OncoSynergy’s candidate can be successfully delivered directly to a patient’s brain using the device in a Phase I glioblastoma trial.
Infuseon’s Cleveland Multiport Catheter, which won FDA clearance in March, was designed to effectively deliver therapeutics to the brain. Usually, the blood brain barrier prevents drugs delivered in traditional methods from reaching their target.
OncoSynergy, headquartered at Johnson & Johnson Innovation in San Francisco, has developed a monoclonal antibody, OS2966, that has been effective in treating models of highly aggressive and metastatic solid cancers. The FDA has granted 2 orphan drug designations for OS2966, including 1 for the treatment of glioblastoma.
“We are pleased to join forces with Infuseon Therapeutics to tackle the complex biology of glioblastoma,” Dr. Anne-Marie Carbonell, VP of clinical development, said in prepared remarks. “The innovative combination of OS2966 and the CMC device seeks to address a huge unmet need and potentially change the way we treat patients suffering from malignant brain tumors.”
“Infuseon’s Cleveland Multiport Catheter was designed specifically to deliver therapeutics directly to the site of disease,” Infuseon’s co-founder & chief medical officer Dr. Michael Vogelbaum added. “We are excited to pursue a potentially novel therapeutic approach to this difficult disease.”