Leitat, Ona Therapeutics and IRB Barcelona Collaborate to Develop a New Therapy for Colorectal Cancer
- The objective of the ADC-CRC project is to develop a novel biologic that exploits the uptake of essential amino acids to specifically deliver cytotoxic payloads for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
- The project has received €2.2 million in funding from the 2023 Public-Private Collaboration Projects call of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
Abstract:
The ADC-CRC project, funded under the 2023 Public-Private Collaboration Projects call, aims to revolutionize the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, particularly for patients who do not respond to current immunotherapies. The approach is based on the development of a novel Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) targeting an amino acid transporter protein, a target that is highly expressed in colorectal tumors, especially those harboring KRAS mutations and exhibiting resistance to chemotherapy.
The consortium brings together the expertise of the Amino Acid Transporters and Disease Research Group led by Dr. Manuel Palacín at IRB Barcelona—who has spent more than 30 years investigating this class of transporters—as well as Leitat’s antibody discovery and validation technology and Ona Therapeutics’ know-how in the design and development of biological therapies. Ona Therapeutics is a pioneering biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of first-in-class antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to address treatment-resistant cancers.
The project will develop and select the most promising antibodies using proprietary platforms and patient-derived libraries. In addition, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and patient-derived organoids will be used to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment. The combination of scientific expertise, advanced technological platforms and preclinical models positions this project as a high-impact initiative aimed at improving the prognosis of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
Leitat’s role in the project:
Leitat will participate as a beneficiary partner in the ADC-CRC project.
Project Budget: 2.242.953,60€
Leitat Budget: 550.088,75€
Coordinator: ONA THERAPEUTICS SL
Partners:
Project CPP2023-010554 funded by:
