RayzeBio Nominates Glypican-3 (GPC3) Targeted Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Drug Candidate for Treatment of Liver Cancer

March 21, 2023 at 08:05 AM EDT

-- Liver cancer is a leading cause of death globally, accounting for over 800,000 deaths annually

-- GPC3 is selectively overexpressed in a meaningful subset of liver tumors

RayzeBio, Inc., a targeted radiopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer drugs, today announced the nomination of a first-in-class novel peptide drug candidate against GPC3. As GPC3 is selectively overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and not expressed in normal liver and other tissues, it has a compelling profile for targeted cancer therapy. The proprietary GPC3 targeting agent was discovered through RayzeBio’s research partnership with PeptiDream, Inc. The drug candidate has demonstrated potent and selective GPC3 binding, rapid cellular internalization, and sustained tumor specific uptake and anti-tumor efficacy in preclinical models. Initial preclinical data will be presented at the EASL Liver Cancer Summit in Estoril, Portugal on April 20, 2023.

“Liver cancer represents a significant unmet medical need globally, with over 29,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone, and over 800,000 deaths worldwide,” said Dr. Ken Song, M.D., President and CEO of RayzeBio. “GPC3 is a promising target for radiopharmaceutical therapy. Our discovery team has extensively profiled multiple series of compounds prior to nominating our drug candidate.”

RayzeBio is advancing the GPC3 drug candidate into IND enabling studies as a targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy and plans to provide additional details on the program’s progress at various scientific meetings throughout the year. In addition to GPC3, RayzeBio has several other programs in various stages of discovery and development.

About Liver Cancer and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death and sixth most diagnosed cancer globally. In the U.S., the incidence of liver cancer more than tripled over the past four decades. The American Cancer Society estimates over 41,000 new cases of liver cancer in 2023 and over 29,000 deaths from liver cancer. The 5-Year relative survival rate for all liver cancer patients is approximately 20% and the survival rate of patients with advanced stage liver cancer is significantly lower. HCC is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for up to 85% of the cases. HCC represents a significant unmet medical need as current treatment options have limited efficacy with a narrow therapeutic index.

About RayzeBio

RayzeBio is a biotechnology company focused on improving outcomes for people with cancer by harnessing the power of targeted radioisotopes. With a focus on clinically validated solid tumor targets, RayzeBio is developing novel drug conjugates to deliver potent therapeutic radioisotopes such as Actinium-225, an alpha-emitter. The company is backed by a syndicate of sophisticated healthcare investors and was established in 2020. For additional information, please visit www.rayzebio.com.