Penitrium Bioscience begins Phase 1 trial for combination cancer therapy

Penitrium Bioscience has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial combining its drug candidate, Penitrium, with the immunotherapy drug Pembrolizumab (Keytruda). The trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this combination therapy in patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

The drug candidate, Penitrium, recently received approval for a tablet formulation. The company's approach is based on the "Seed & Soil" hypothesis of cancer metastasis, proposed in 1889. Penitrium is designed to normalize the pathological structures surrounding cancer cells, rather than directly targeting the cancer cells themselves. The company anticipates this will lead to cancer cell death and enhance the effectiveness of existing anti-cancer drugs.

This new trial will be conducted at institutions including Ajou University Hospital. The selection of two distinct cancer types for this study highlights the specific mechanism of action Penitrium is expected to exhibit. The company is also currently conducting another Phase 1 trial at Seoul National University Hospital, investigating Penitrium in combination with the targeted therapy Enzalutamide for prostate cancer.

Penitrium Bioscience plans to leverage the findings from these Phase 1 trials to advance into larger, global Phase 2 studies. These future studies are intended to encompass a broader range of targeted therapies and cancer types, further exploring the therapeutic potential of Penitrium.