Regen developing new gene procedure for targeting liver cancer cells

Regen BioPharma, Inc. announced it is currently developing a gene delivery procedure that will enable RGBP-248, a gene silencing nucleic acid, to reach liver tumors and cancerous cells in the body faster and, in turn, treat unresectable liver cancer, according to a press release.

According to the release, the product is still in development and this type of local delivery system will allow for reduced amounts of potential toxicities and enable a higher amount of the therapeutic product to reach the tumor for treatment.

“In our current product, the gene silencing agent is administered using a ‘depot’ formulation that conventionally is utilized for local delivery of chemotherapy as a palliative approach to unresectable liver cancer patients,” Thomas Ichim, PhD, chief scientific officer of Regen BioPharma, said in the release. “In contrast to chemotherapy, which does not target cancer stem cells, there is evidence suggesting that gene silencing of BORIS does kill cancer stem cells. By killing cancer stem cells we believe that our new approach in development will lead to improved efficacy of the clinically used transcatheter arterial chemoembolization procedure.”

David Koos, PhD, chairman and CEO of Regen BioPharma stated in the release: “We are now in the process of seeking clinical collaborators with the hope of filing an investigational new drug application with the FDA on this technology next year.”

Disclosures: Ichim and Koos report being employed by Regen BioPharma.