On the one hand, Phylogica has been advancing its iMYC cancer program towards formal preclinical development which suggests to the layman that the cancer program is in a preliminary stage. On the other hand, Dr Doug Fairlie has commented that the collaboration with Phylogica has provided access to the 'most potent direct Myc inhibitors and intracellular peptides we've tested'.
Investors have been hanging on for the POC data pack to be completed but it would appear that clinical investigators already like what they see. Its fair to mention that Doug Fairlie knows a thing or two about drug development.
Venetoclax by Genentech and AbbVie is the first cancer drug targeting BCL-2. There is an outstanding presentation on its history of development titled
Venetoclax - Towards a cure for cancer. If you want to know what world-class research looks like when done in Australia, then this is for you. You will meet lots of people in the story including Professor Suzanne Cory, in the journey from the discovery of BCL-2 in making cancer cells immortal to the design and discovery of BH3-mimetic drugs [thanks Tony] and finally licensing to Genentech and the final road to approval in 2016. Another person in the story is Doug Fairlie who is credited with the design of a BH3-only protein which provided a road map for the design and discovery of BH3-mimetic drugs.
Could analysts be correct in saying that success with the iMYC program is more likely than not with 'P75 on iMYC'?
Big Pharma in immuno-oncology have gone after checkpoint inhibitors including PD-1 and PD-L1. Phylogica may have found a way to reach the ultimate cancer target Myc which regulates PD-L1 and CD47: the terrible twins 'don't eat me' and 'don't find me'. It would appear that Doug Fairlie is working away at a combination therapy which targets both twins as well as its cousin 'you can't make me die'. What's more, our own immune system which will do most of the heavy lifting which brings this combination therapy into the heart of the hottest space in oncology today.
(20min delay)