This project will deliver proof of concept (POC) data to identify a new diagnostic and to establish Kidney and lung cancer as therapeutic targets for BIL03s, our lead fully human therapeutic antibody. The World Health Organization reported that 8.2 million died of cancer in 2012. While progress has been made, patient outcomes remain poor particularly for kidney and lung cancer, existing treatments and those in development are inadequate. Biosceptre is an established UK company developing cancer therapeutics, its goal is to commercialise therapeutics and diagnostics to target nf-P2X7, a unique variant of the P2X7 receptor present at the surface of cancerous but not normal cells. Biosceptre has established freedom to operate and has a strong global patent portfolio. Antibodies targeting nf-P2X7 have shown specificity and efficacy in pre-clinical studies. Toxicology studies have confirmed they are safe. Hence, nf-P2X7 can be targeted safely and effectively. Our aims are to define the potential for efficacy in kidney and lung cancer indications using “gold standard” patient derived xenografts (PDXs) models and to establish the potential for developing a companion diagnostic to define responding patient populations. Biosceptre will establish breadth of utility for BIL03s by obtaining efficacy data against a range of cancers and by analysing the correlation between BIL03s efficacy in patient derived tumour xenograft models (PDX) and P2X7 expression status. This will define the market for BIL03s and establish POC for a companion diagnostic. This approach will have a critical impact on the commercial viability of BIL03s by increasing the number of cancer indications targeted and facilitating selection of patient cohorts based on their P2X7 expression status. This project will foster academic collaborations and lead to publications. Biosceptre will also undertake business development activities to establish the commercial and clinical pathways for BIL03s development.

In December 2013 the World Health Organization, released data showing that globally there were 14.1 million new cases of cancer and 8.2 million cancer deaths in 2012. Significant medical progress has been made, but patient outcomes remain poor, new cancer cases are increasing and for certain types of cancer, existing treatment options and those in development are clearly inadequate. Bioseptre, a company developing cancer therapeutics in the UK, has discovered nf-P2X7, a unique varient of P2X7, an important cell protein present in cancer cells, that can be used to target cancers in order to kill them. This project will build on existing data to confirm that it is possible to create an innovative biological therapeutic that can be used to treat patients. Because of its mechanism of action, this therapeutic will have the potential to treat multiple cancer types safely.