Patrys study confirms PAT-SM6 effect in myeloma

Patrys (ASX:PAB) has announced the publication of a new scientific article exploring the mechanism whereby anticancer candidate PAT-SM6 kills multiple myeloma cells.

The article, published in the Public Library of Science journal, details a lab study conducted by Patrys and the Institute of Pathology at Germany’s University of Würzburg.

Lead researcher Dr Stephanie Brändlein was able to confirm that the PAT-SM6 antibody is cytotoxic to multiple myeloma cells. It induces this cytotoxicity by interacting with its target, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), to trigger programmed cell death in cancerous cells.

“This is an important study that not only shows that PAT-SM6 actively targets and kills cancerous multiple myeloma cells, it explains the mechanism behind this,” Patrys CEO Dr Marie Roskrow said.

“We can see how PAT-SM6 binds to GRP78, which is abnormally attached to the outside of multiple myeloma cells and not on the inside as occurs in healthy, non-cancer-causing cells.”

The study also shows that PAT-SM6 was able to kill multiple myeloma cells through an additional mechanism known as complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) - the immune process triggered by the binding of the antibody to cancer cells.

Patrys said that while the impact on cancer cells appears to be moderate compared to programmed cell death, CDC is an important additive effect.

Patrys and the University of Würzburg are currently collaborating on a phase I/IIa trial of PAT-SM6 in multiple myeloma. The company is also trialling the antibody in melanoma.

Patrys shares were trading 12.5% higher at $0.027 as of around 1.30 pm on Wednesday.