Defence Therapeutics image of immune system cells
(Source: Defence Therapeutics Inc.)
  • Defence Therapeutics (CSE:DTC) announced its anticancer treatment Accum-002 (AccuTOX) is working as a tumor-killing molecule and as an immune booster
  • These inhibitors show promising therapeutic effects in treating solid tumors
  • AccuTOX has shown potential to more effectively treat patients who already respond positively to these inhibitors treatments and can potentially expand the population eligible for these inhibitors
  • Defence Therapeutics Inc. last traded at $0.76 per share

Defence Therapeutics (CSE:DTC) announced its anticancer treatment Accum-002 (AccuTOX) is working as a tumor-killing molecule and as an immune booster.

In a media release, the Vancouver-based biotechnology company elaborated that AccuTOX’s mode of action can enable it to synergize with the activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors and the immune system itself.

These inhibitors show promising therapeutic effects in treating solid tumors. However, their overall response rate remains low for many patients with solid tumors. For instance, among melanoma patients, who generally respond well to these inhibitors, only 20 per cent experience a complete or partial response to the treatment. This intrinsic resistance is attributed to a cold tumor environment that prevents the immune system from recognizing and attacking cancer cells. This cold environment is characterized by a low level of immune infiltrating cells within the tumor and a reduced ability of the immune system to identify the tumor as unhealthy tissue and initiate an attack.

To overcome this resistance, the scientific and medical communities are exploring combination treatments with these inhibitors to transform cold tumors into hot tumors, thereby increasing their vulnerability to immune system attacks. Defence Therapeutics has discovered that AccuTOX exploits this vulnerability by recruiting the immune system and enhancing its ability to recognize tumors, synergizing with these inhibitors. Unlike competitors, AccuTOX can recruit and activate various immune cells but also convert cold tumors into highly recognizable and attackable hot tumors. These immune cells are crucial for tumor regression in the context of these inhibitors and other immunotherapies. Essentially, AccuTOX acts like an intelligent spotlight with specialized lenses and biometric recognition software, enabling the immune system to identify, target, and destroy cancer cells.

AccuTOX has shown potential to more effectively treat patients who already respond positively to these inhibitors treatment and can potentially expand the population eligible for these inhibitors, thereby increasing the market for existing these inhibitors. The company claims that AccuTOX is a strong candidate to enhance the therapeutic value of these inhibitors and is open to partnerships and collaborations in this area.

The scientific team has demonstrated in several in vivo preclinical studies that AccuTOX can boost the efficacy of various inhibitors when combined with AccuTOX, by at least tenfold according to the team, across different cancer indications. The market for these PD1/PDL1 inhibitors, which are the focus of most of Defence’s AccuTOX preclinical studies, is projected by analysts at Market Research Future to grow from US$36.4 billion in 2023 to US$139.7 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 18.3 per cent during the forecast period of 2023-2032.

According to Allied Market Research, the global immune checkpoint inhibitors market was valued at US$40.1 billion in 2022, and is projected to reach US$189.4 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16.8 per cent from 2023 to 2032. The primary driver fueling the immune checkpoint inhibitors market is the rising global prevalence of cancer.

Defence Therapeutics Inc. is working on engineering vaccines and antibody drug conjugates products using its proprietary platform. The company is engaged in the development of a biological drug enhancer platform that improves the efficacy and safety of a multitude of biological-/biosimilar-based pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases.

Defence Therapeutics Inc. (CSE:DTC) last traded at $0.76 per share.

Join the discussion: Find out what everybody’s saying about this stock on the Defence Therapeutics Inc. Bullboard, and check out the rest of Stockhouse’s stock forums and message boards.

The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. For full disclaimer information, please click here.

(Top image: Defence Therapeutics)


More From The Market Online
AI-generated image of crystal ball with stock market chart

Three mispriced stocks exposed to major market tailwinds

Read about three arguably mispriced stocks active in high-growth markets creating opportunities for significant shareholder value generation.
Photos combined into one image showing Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Apple, NVIDIA, Tesla and Alphabet

Here’s what’s happening with the Magnificent Seven stocks

A survey of recent developments with the Magnificent Seven stocks to gauge market sentiment and potential allocation opportunities to come.
Screenshot of Dr. Monica Perez being interviewed by NBC5 Chicago

NervGen: Are amazing human trial results leaking out?

NervGen Pharma Corp. (TSXV:NGEN) hopes to commercialize the world’s first ever FDA-approved drug to treat spinal cord injuries.
Air Canada Boeing 737-8 airliner flying in the clouds

Air Canada to add 8 Boeing 737-8 aircraft with BOC Aviation deal

Air Canada (TSX:AC) announces Tuesday that it will lease eight Boeing 737-8 aircraft from BOC Aviation Ltd.