The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded a $321,304 Project Grant under the Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research program (CFDA 93.394) to PDX Pharmaceuticals Inc., a minority-owned, woman-owned small business located in Portland, OR. The funding will support two key activities to advance the commercialization readiness of ARAC-02, PDX Pharmaceuticals' novel nanoparticle-based immunotherapy for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Specifically, the grant will enable PDX Pharmaceuticals to (1) pursue intellectual property protection for its PDX-NP nanoparticle delivery platform and the ARAC-02 immunotherapy in multiple countries, and (2) initiate GMP-compliant manufacturing of the ARAC-02 component A-NP (PD-L1 antibody-conjugated nanoparticle) through technology transfer and process development. These activities are expected to enhance PDX Pharmaceuticals' ability to secure private investment and pursue IND-enabling studies and clinical trials for ARAC-02, a therapy that co-delivers a PLK1 inhibitor, PD-L1 antibody, and immune stimulant to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC.
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