Cancer Research UK, Cytovation and the Norwegian Cancer Society collaborate to advance treatment for rare cancer

Collaboration Overview - Cancer Research UK, Cytovation, and the Norwegian Cancer Society have signed an agreement to advance CY-101 into a multinational Phase 2 clinical trial for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) [1] - The collaboration aims to address the urgent need for new therapies for ACC, a rare and aggressive cancer with limited treatment options [1] - Cancer Research UK's Centre for Drug Development (CDD) will sponsor, design, and deliver the Phase 2 trial, while Cytovation will provide CY-101 [4] - The Norwegian Cancer Society will provide co-funding and access to additional resources, patients, and trial sites across the UK and Europe [5][9] CY-101 Mechanism and Development - CY-101 is a synthetic peptide with a dual function: it selectively targets and destroys cancer cells while inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, a key driver of immunotherapy resistance [2] - CY-101's development is supported by data from the Phase 1 CICILIA trial, which showed clinical benefits in solid tumor patients, including two ACC patients with significant progression-free survival [3] - CY-101's dual mechanism of action includes targeting cancer cell membranes, releasing neo-antigens, and inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway to restrict tumor growth and reverse immune exclusion [11] Organizational Contributions - Cancer Research UK's Centre for Drug Development has a 30-year track record of developing novel cancer treatments, with over 160 potential anti-cancer agents entering clinical trials and six reaching the market [8] - Cytovation is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing CY-101, a first-in-class bifunctional immunotherapy [10] - The Norwegian Cancer Society, with 128,000 members and 27,000 volunteers, is dedicated to improving cancer prevention, treatment, and patient quality of life [13] Strategic Significance - The collaboration represents a critical step in addressing unmet needs for ACC patients and highlights the potential of CY-101 to be transformative for ACC and other cancer types [6] - The partnership leverages the expertise and resources of all three organizations to advance groundbreaking cancer treatments and bring new hope to patients [6][9]