WntTide™ Program: Breast Cancer Research |
Mesoderm development protein (Mesd) is a chaperone protein necessary for the proper folding of LRP6, a receptor protein involved in cell growth regulation through the Wnt pathway. Studies by Dr. Guojun Bu, formerly Professor of Pediatrics, Cell Biology and Physiology at Washington University in St. Louis have shown that extracellular Mesd or a Mesd-based peptide inhibit Wnt signaling through LRP6 (Li 2005).
WntTide™ is Raptor's proprietary, Mesd-based peptide that we are developing as a potential therapeutic to inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumors overexpressing LRP6, as part of our breast cancer research program.
In April 2009, Washington University conducted a preclinical study of WntTide™ in a breast cancer model in which WntTide™ showed tumor inhibition. The results of this study were presented at the 2nd Annual Wnt Conference in Washington, D.C., in June 2009 and have been published in the peer-reviewed publication, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Liu 2010).
The paper, “LRP6 Overexpression Defines a Class of Breast Cancer Subtype and Is a Target for Therapy,” presented results that support the potential efficacy of WntTide™ as a targeted treatment for triple-negative breast cancers, a particularly aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer with increased risk of recurrence and metastatic disease.
Abnormal Wnt activation, found in 40% to 60% of breast cancers, is often associated with triple-negative breast cancers. Raptor is currently evaluating WntTide™ in a preclinical breast cancer model to inhibit the Wnt-signaling pathway designed to block cancers dependent upon signaling through LRP6, as well as other IND enabling studies.
Learn more about Raptor's other preclinical programs:
- HepTide™ drug-targeting to the liver
- NeuroTrans™ for the potential delivery of therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier
WntTide™ Tested in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Model
Raptor announces publication of data supporting potential efficacy.