The study, conducted by Mladen Korbelik at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver, has demonstrated that SL052 increased the potency and effectiveness of immunotherapeutic agents when used in combination with SL052 photodynamic therapy (PDT).
According to the company, the results also confirmed that SL052 was an effective and well tolerated photosensitizer for PDT ablation of two highly tumorigenic, solid murine tumors. Further, the results demonstrated that photodynamic therapy generated direct local cytotoxicity and induced a systemic immune response, which could enhance its therapeutic effect on both primary tumors and metastases at distant sites.
The study tested several applications of SL052 and evaluated host recognition and immunological destruction of solid tumors. The results indicate the potential of SL052 PDT for use in combination with cancer vaccines to generate a superior immune response compared with vaccines alone.
The study also revealed that SL052 PDT may be effectively combined with either single or multiple-complementary effectors of the host's immune response to substantially boost the frequency of permanent cures, the company added.
Madi Madiyalakan, CEO of Quest, said: "These results further define the therapeutic profile of SL052. While its activation through either photodynamic or sonodynamic therapy was already established, we now have a clear indication of its potential to act as either an immune response stimulator or as a cancer vaccine. Taken together, these characteristics of SL052 provide a new potential treatment modality for cancer therapy."
