Core Insights - Oncotelic Therapeutics is advancing the evaluation of OT-101, an investigational antisense oligonucleotide targeting TGFB2, as a potential treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) [1][5] - New research indicates that TGFB2 expression and methylation may serve as prognostic markers for overall survival in PDAC patients, particularly in younger cohorts [1][2][3] Company Overview - Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing RNA-targeted and small-molecule therapeutics for cancer and rare diseases [1][6] - The company has a 45% ownership interest in Sapu Biosciences, which contributed to the recent research publication [1] Research Findings - The study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences highlights that high TGFB2 expression correlates with reduced overall survival in patients under 65 years old, with median overall survival of 17.9 months for high TGFB2 expression compared to 66.9 months for low expression [3] - Elevated TGFB2 methylation is associated with improved survival in younger patients, with median overall survival of 66.9 months for high methylation versus 17.9 months for low methylation [3] - Clinical data from the OT-101 P001 PDAC study suggests that targeting TGFB2 is particularly beneficial for younger patients, with a median overall survival of 12.7 months in a treated subset characterized by low IL-6 [2] Market Context - The incidence of PDAC is increasing among younger adults, with approximately 4% annual growth in the 15-34 age bracket, while the five-year survival rate for all PDAC patients is only around 12% [4] - The findings underscore the need for targeted therapies like OT-101 to address the grim outcomes faced by younger PDAC patients [4]