Duo Oncology Founders Publish in Advanced Science.
Sam Rothstein — June 27, 2024
Founder-Inventors, Drs. Song Li and Jingjing Sun, Develop Novel Ultrasmall Precision Nanomedicine.
PITTSBURGH (PRWEB) June 27, 2024 – Research led by Drs. Song Li and Jingjing Sun, the inventors behind Duo Oncology’s ultrasmall nanomedicine chemistry, was recently published in the prestigious journal, Advanced Science. The work titled, “In Situ Formation of Fibronectin-Enriched Protein Corona on Epigenetic Nanocarrier for Enhanced Synthetic Lethal Therapy”, reports on a beneficial targeting and uptake mechanism for DUO-209, a novel azacytidine prodrug nanomedicine. These results set DUO-209 apart from prior cancer nanomedicines.
Drs. Li and Sun established proof-of-concept for serum protein-enhanced nanomedicine uptake in molecular binding studies, in cell-based assays, and finally, in tumor bearing mice. “Our research on the azacytidine nanomedicine is the culmination of a multi-year effort,” said principal investigator, Dr. Song Li. “The studies provide a key insight into how our prodrug nanomedicines can reach and penetrate tumors.” Critical findings in two different models of lung cancer confirm also that the DUO-209 nanomedicine has an immune mediated mechanism of action and overcomes a known drug resistance.
“We are so pleased to see Drs. Li and Sun report these significant results in Advanced Science,” said Dr. Sam Rothstein. “Their work on the azacitidine prodrug nanomedicines helps advance Duo’s pipeline and bring innovative therapies to new orphan patient populations, including those with myelodysplastic syndromes or with juvenile leukemia. We look forward to bringing DUO-209 and other potent, ultrasmall nanomedicines to patients.”
For more information about Duo Oncology and their ongoing research on nanomedicines, visit DuoOncology.com.
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About: Duo Oncology – Founded and Funded by UPMC Oncologists – is on a mission to redefine the treatment landscape for patients with pancreatic cancer and other hard-to-treat tumors. Duo’s core innovation is a patent pending chemistry that ties together self-assembling DNA-like bases with environmentally sensitive linkers to form ultrasmall nanomedicines, which carry potent combination payloads all the way to growing cancer cells deep within tumors. Duo’s lead DUO-207 outperforms standard of care therapy in multiple mouse models. Its pathway to the clinic is derisked by a Pre-IND response from the FDA and toxicology data in rats and dogs. Duo’s second and third drug candidates (DUO-307, DUO-209) have equally compelling data proof-co-concept data demonstrating immunotherapy and precision medicine mechanisms, respectively.
Duo Oncology media contact:
Sam Rothstein, Cofounder and CEO
Email: [email protected]