Nucleic acids, virotherapy and liver cancer

BURLINGTON, Mass.—MilliporeSigma recently selected Combined Therapeutics Inc. as the North American winner of its 2020 Advance Biotech Grant Program on the strength of the company’s nucleic acid platform which, combined with virotherapy, may have potential to treat liver cancer by using a lipid nanoparticle delivery system.

Combined Therapeutics is in preclinical development of a platform to treat cancer by targeting solid tumors while protecting the healthy tissue of key organs. Virotherapy is treatment that uses a modified virus to target and destroy cancer cells. However, this approach can often lead to low patient response and safety concerns due to poor targeting. Combined Therapeutics aims to direct and enhance virotherapies while preventing off-target effects. With its potential to target specific cells only, this combined approach shows promise to be a safe and effective therapy for cancer.

As part of the award, Combined Therapeutics Inc. will receive in-kind MilliporeSigma products and consultation in downstream processing, formulation excipients and sterile filtration.

 “We help pioneering biotech companies bring lifesaving drugs to market, faster,” said Andrew Bulpin, head of Process Solutions at MilliporeSigma. “Combined Therapeutics’ platform shows promise to treat liver cancer, which affects thousands of people across the world each year.”

“MilliporeSigma’s expertise in large biomolecule filtration, scale-up and extensive range of excipients will play a pivotal role in moving this project forward to GMP and clinical trials,” said Romain Micol, CEO of Combined Therapeutics.

Since 2014, MilliporeSigma’s Advance Biotech Grant Program has awarded technologies and consultation to 28 biotechnology companies. These grants have been used to support biotech companies whose missions are to help patients suffering from cancer, brain tumors, osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disorders. To learn more about the program, visit www.emdmillipore.com/emergingbiotech.