News
See below for updates about Optimum and Optimum in the news.
AAPS Meeting
November 12, 2009
Optimum presented a poster at the 2009 AAPS convention in LA on Thursday, November
12 entitled: Tumor penetrating microparticles for intraperitoneal treatment of pancreatic
cancer.
Click on "AAPS Meeting" link above for more information.
Discovery of Potential Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
November 4, 2009; reprinted from Drug Discovery and Development (linked above)
Tiny particles that can carry drugs and target cancer cells may offer treatment hope for
those suffering with pancreatic cancer. New research to be presented in November at the
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles
reveals that tumor-penetrating microparticles (TPM) have been specifically designed to
break through hard-to-infiltrate barriers and deliver drugs more effectively and efficiently
than the standard form of chemotherapy such as those injected through a vein.
According to Jessie L.S. Au, Pharm.D., Ph.D., an AAPS fellow and a Distinguished University
Professor at The Ohio State University who initiated the study, TPM are designed to treat
cancer in the peritoneal cavity. The peritoneal cavity contains organs, including the
pancreas, that are home to more than 250,000 new cases of cancer a year in the United
States alone. "Pancreatic cancer cells are surrounded by specialized cells that protect them
from chemotherapy," explains Dr. Au. "Our goal is to use TPM to pass this barrier and
successfully deliver drugs to the tumor cells, which is currently the biggest hurdle a
physician faces in pancreatic cancer treatment."
According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of
cancer in the U.S., with more than 80 percent of the 38,000 patients stricken with the
disease dying within one year of diagnosis.
Dr. Au, who is also co-founder of Optimum Therapeutics LLC, the company bringing TPM to
clinical trials, goes on to explain that TPM releases what the researchers call a "smart bomb"
of drugs to create holes in the tumor so TPM can reach tumor cells. Once inside a tumor,
TPM slowly releases drug levels that are sustained over several weeks, targeting both the
rapid- and slow-growing tumors. Because the TPM were designed to move about and reach
tumors without being swept away by the lymphatic system, they are able to stay in the
peritoneal cavity longer and deliver highly concentrated drug doses to the cancer-affected
organ. It is this two-tiered drug attack that is unique in pancreatic cancer treatment.
With just one TPM dose of drugs proving to be equally as effective as multiple injections of
chemotherapy, TPM delivers less toxicity to patients, making it a safer option than the
standard form of other therapies. "Based on the encouraging results in mice carrying
implants of human pancreatic cancer, we are cautiously optimistic that TPM may provide
benefits to patients with this disease," says Ze Lu, Ph.D., principal scientist and project
leader. "TPM may prove to be especially helpful to patients with late stages of the disease."
According to Dr. Lu, the researchers have been working on TPM for more than 10 years
and look forward to receiving FDA approval for testing TPM in patients in 2010.
The researchers are collaborating with physicians at the Medical University of South
Carolina who believe a potential use of TPM, in addition to treating patients with peritoneal
metastases, is to downstage or downsize the tumors so that they are operable.
See also:
•Eureka Alert
•Science Daily
•The Medical News
•DNA India
ARRA Funding
September 29, 2009
Optimum was awarded an ARRA supplement of $400,000 from the NIH/NCI to accelerate the
bladder cancer project towards clinical testing.
NIH Doles out Nearly $1.5M in RNAi, miRNA Small
Business Research Grants in September
September 24, 2009; reprinted in part from Genome Web RNAi News (linked above)
When it comes to handing out research funding, September was a busy month for the
National Institutes of Health, which awarded nearly $1.5 million in one-year Small Business
Innovation Research grants to companies playing in the RNAi and microRNA fields ...
Another newcomer to the RNAi space, Optimum Therapeutics, was awarded $125,561 from
the NIH to develop an intraperitoneally delivered siRNA-based cancer therapy.
The company has pinpointed high tumor-cell density as a key barrier to intra-tumoral
transport, and has since developed the tumor priming technology to promote particulate
delivery and interstitial transport in solid tumors," according to the grant's abstract. "This
technology uses [the chemotherapeutic] paclitaxel to induce apoptosis, expand the
interstitial space, and consequently promote greater penetration and more even dispersion
of particulates in tumor matrix."
With the support of the NIH funding, Optimum plans to evaluate the feasibility of using this
so-called tumor-priming microparticles technology to "promote delivery and penetration of
liposomal siRNA into tumors," the abstract notes. It will then "test whether the established
technologies can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of [survivin-targeting] siRNA in the
treatment of intraperitoneal tumor."
Optimum's Presence in Ohio
Optimum plays a significant role in advancing government-funded research in the State of
Ohio.
The US government, recognizing the vital role of small business to the nation’s economic
growth, has established the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) funding mechanism,
which accounts for 2.5% of all federal R&D funding. Optimum has been awarded five Phase
I and two Phase II SBIR grants since its inception. As a point of reference, the total number
of NIH SBIR grants awarded to the State of Ohio, where Optimum resides, is 267 during this
time period.[1] Hence, Optimum accounts for 2.6% of all NIH-funded SBIR activities and
therefore has an important role in the small business R&D enterprise in the State of Ohio.
Optimum holds an especially esteemed position amongst institutions funded by the National
Cancer Institute (NCI). Optimum's five Phase I and two Phase II awards were all granted by
NCI. In comparison, only 24 Phase I and 5 Phase II awards were received in the entire State
of Ohio in the time period since Optimum's inception[1]. Optimum therefore accounts for
24% of the NCI NIH-SBIR funding in Ohio, or 20.8% of its Phase I funding and 40% of its
Phase II funding. Optimum is clearly a leading small business institution in Ohio for cancer
research.
In the State of Ohio, Optimum ranks in the top 27% (20 of 72) of institutions that receive NIH
funding[2]. Fourteen of the 19 organizations ranking higher are public or state-supported
institutions such as the Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, Case
Western Reserve University and University of Akron. Among the non-public institutions,
Optimum ranks in the top 5.
Another measure of the success of Optimum’s R&D activities is the high success rate of its
projects. On a national level, only 283, or 5.9%, of the NIH SBIR Phase I projects have been
successfully completed and awarded the follow-on Phase II awards, since Optimum’s
inception in 2003. Optimum, on the other hand, has a success rate of 40% (2 of 5) as of
October 2009. Two additional Optimum projects have met the milestones making them
eligible to compete for the Phase II awards (one has been applied for in August 2009). This
extraordinary achievement would not be possible without the strong academic-based
research ideas and expertise at Optimum.
[1] http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/crisp/crisp_query.generate_screen,
A search performed on 11/12/09 found 189 Phase I (R43) awards and 24 Phase II (R44)
awards in the NIH SBIR/STTR program. The NCI branch of the NIH SBIR/STTR program
awarded 24 of the Phase I grants and 5 of the Phase II grants.
[2] http://report.nih.gov/award/trends/State_Congressional/StateDetail.cfm?
State=Ohio&Lon=-82.669403&Lat=40.190269
Other News
Please see the About Us page for more information about the exciting projects at Optimum.
Contact us today!
We welcome your questions and queries. Please see our Contact Us page for complete
contact information.
See below for updates about Optimum and Optimum in the news.
AAPS Meeting
November 12, 2009
Optimum presented a poster at the 2009 AAPS convention in LA on Thursday, November
12 entitled: Tumor penetrating microparticles for intraperitoneal treatment of pancreatic
cancer.
Click on "AAPS Meeting" link above for more information.
Discovery of Potential Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
November 4, 2009; reprinted from Drug Discovery and Development (linked above)
Tiny particles that can carry drugs and target cancer cells may offer treatment hope for
those suffering with pancreatic cancer. New research to be presented in November at the
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles
reveals that tumor-penetrating microparticles (TPM) have been specifically designed to
break through hard-to-infiltrate barriers and deliver drugs more effectively and efficiently
than the standard form of chemotherapy such as those injected through a vein.
According to Jessie L.S. Au, Pharm.D., Ph.D., an AAPS fellow and a Distinguished University
Professor at The Ohio State University who initiated the study, TPM are designed to treat
cancer in the peritoneal cavity. The peritoneal cavity contains organs, including the
pancreas, that are home to more than 250,000 new cases of cancer a year in the United
States alone. "Pancreatic cancer cells are surrounded by specialized cells that protect them
from chemotherapy," explains Dr. Au. "Our goal is to use TPM to pass this barrier and
successfully deliver drugs to the tumor cells, which is currently the biggest hurdle a
physician faces in pancreatic cancer treatment."
According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of
cancer in the U.S., with more than 80 percent of the 38,000 patients stricken with the
disease dying within one year of diagnosis.
Dr. Au, who is also co-founder of Optimum Therapeutics LLC, the company bringing TPM to
clinical trials, goes on to explain that TPM releases what the researchers call a "smart bomb"
of drugs to create holes in the tumor so TPM can reach tumor cells. Once inside a tumor,
TPM slowly releases drug levels that are sustained over several weeks, targeting both the
rapid- and slow-growing tumors. Because the TPM were designed to move about and reach
tumors without being swept away by the lymphatic system, they are able to stay in the
peritoneal cavity longer and deliver highly concentrated drug doses to the cancer-affected
organ. It is this two-tiered drug attack that is unique in pancreatic cancer treatment.
With just one TPM dose of drugs proving to be equally as effective as multiple injections of
chemotherapy, TPM delivers less toxicity to patients, making it a safer option than the
standard form of other therapies. "Based on the encouraging results in mice carrying
implants of human pancreatic cancer, we are cautiously optimistic that TPM may provide
benefits to patients with this disease," says Ze Lu, Ph.D., principal scientist and project
leader. "TPM may prove to be especially helpful to patients with late stages of the disease."
According to Dr. Lu, the researchers have been working on TPM for more than 10 years
and look forward to receiving FDA approval for testing TPM in patients in 2010.
The researchers are collaborating with physicians at the Medical University of South
Carolina who believe a potential use of TPM, in addition to treating patients with peritoneal
metastases, is to downstage or downsize the tumors so that they are operable.
See also:
•Eureka Alert
•Science Daily
•The Medical News
•DNA India
ARRA Funding
September 29, 2009
Optimum was awarded an ARRA supplement of $400,000 from the NIH/NCI to accelerate the
bladder cancer project towards clinical testing.
NIH Doles out Nearly $1.5M in RNAi, miRNA Small
Business Research Grants in September
September 24, 2009; reprinted in part from Genome Web RNAi News (linked above)
When it comes to handing out research funding, September was a busy month for the
National Institutes of Health, which awarded nearly $1.5 million in one-year Small Business
Innovation Research grants to companies playing in the RNAi and microRNA fields ...
Another newcomer to the RNAi space, Optimum Therapeutics, was awarded $125,561 from
the NIH to develop an intraperitoneally delivered siRNA-based cancer therapy.
The company has pinpointed high tumor-cell density as a key barrier to intra-tumoral
transport, and has since developed the tumor priming technology to promote particulate
delivery and interstitial transport in solid tumors," according to the grant's abstract. "This
technology uses [the chemotherapeutic] paclitaxel to induce apoptosis, expand the
interstitial space, and consequently promote greater penetration and more even dispersion
of particulates in tumor matrix."
With the support of the NIH funding, Optimum plans to evaluate the feasibility of using this
so-called tumor-priming microparticles technology to "promote delivery and penetration of
liposomal siRNA into tumors," the abstract notes. It will then "test whether the established
technologies can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of [survivin-targeting] siRNA in the
treatment of intraperitoneal tumor."
Optimum's Presence in Ohio
Optimum plays a significant role in advancing government-funded research in the State of
Ohio.
The US government, recognizing the vital role of small business to the nation’s economic
growth, has established the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) funding mechanism,
which accounts for 2.5% of all federal R&D funding. Optimum has been awarded five Phase
I and two Phase II SBIR grants since its inception. As a point of reference, the total number
of NIH SBIR grants awarded to the State of Ohio, where Optimum resides, is 267 during this
time period.[1] Hence, Optimum accounts for 2.6% of all NIH-funded SBIR activities and
therefore has an important role in the small business R&D enterprise in the State of Ohio.
Optimum holds an especially esteemed position amongst institutions funded by the National
Cancer Institute (NCI). Optimum's five Phase I and two Phase II awards were all granted by
NCI. In comparison, only 24 Phase I and 5 Phase II awards were received in the entire State
of Ohio in the time period since Optimum's inception[1]. Optimum therefore accounts for
24% of the NCI NIH-SBIR funding in Ohio, or 20.8% of its Phase I funding and 40% of its
Phase II funding. Optimum is clearly a leading small business institution in Ohio for cancer
research.
In the State of Ohio, Optimum ranks in the top 27% (20 of 72) of institutions that receive NIH
funding[2]. Fourteen of the 19 organizations ranking higher are public or state-supported
institutions such as the Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, Case
Western Reserve University and University of Akron. Among the non-public institutions,
Optimum ranks in the top 5.
Another measure of the success of Optimum’s R&D activities is the high success rate of its
projects. On a national level, only 283, or 5.9%, of the NIH SBIR Phase I projects have been
successfully completed and awarded the follow-on Phase II awards, since Optimum’s
inception in 2003. Optimum, on the other hand, has a success rate of 40% (2 of 5) as of
October 2009. Two additional Optimum projects have met the milestones making them
eligible to compete for the Phase II awards (one has been applied for in August 2009). This
extraordinary achievement would not be possible without the strong academic-based
research ideas and expertise at Optimum.
[1] http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/crisp/crisp_query.generate_screen,
A search performed on 11/12/09 found 189 Phase I (R43) awards and 24 Phase II (R44)
awards in the NIH SBIR/STTR program. The NCI branch of the NIH SBIR/STTR program
awarded 24 of the Phase I grants and 5 of the Phase II grants.
[2] http://report.nih.gov/award/trends/State_Congressional/StateDetail.cfm?
State=Ohio&Lon=-82.669403&Lat=40.190269
Other News
Please see the About Us page for more information about the exciting projects at Optimum.
Contact us today!
We welcome your questions and queries. Please see our Contact Us page for complete
contact information.
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