GRONINGEN, NETHERLANDS (16 January 2024) – TRACER and VAR2 Pharma announce the first patient enrolled in the VARTUTRACE study, a Phase 0 first-in-human imaging trial (NCT06645808). The patient, suffering from lung carcinoma received the Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP), a zirconium-89-labeled single-chain variable fragment (scFv), Vartumab, on Dec 17, 2024. The patient successfully completed all study visits.
The obtained data provides valuable insight into using the onco-fetal Chondroitin Sulfate (ofCS) binding Vartumab to selectively target tumors (Nat Commun. 2024 Aug 30;15(1):7553). The study will in total include 16 patients with various solid cancer types for each of the two Vartumab antibodies. Allowing the research team to evaluate the biodistribution and tumor accumulation of both Vartumabs prior to clinical testing of Vartumab-based Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC).
“The enrollment of the first patient is always a big milestone in clinical research. Our team is very happy with the first patient-in and we’re excited to gather more data on Vartumab.”
– Noortje van Dijk, project manager at TRACER.
“I am thrilled to see our new pan-cancer antibodies moving forward in this first clinical study, paving the way for efficacy studies and hopefully one day a novel treatment for the many cancer patients with limited or exhausted clinical options”
– Ali Salanti, CEO at VAR2 Pharma
VAR2 Pharmaceuticals ApS
VAR2 Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotech company developing groundbreaking antibodies that target ofCS —a tumor-specific glycosaminoglycan found in various cancers. Originally identified during malaria research, this unique carbohydrate modification presented a unique opportunity for a pan-cancer treatment. Since its establishment in 2012 in Copenhagen, the company has secured over €25M in funding. VAR2 Pharmaceuticals is committed to creating effective cancer therapies. Learn more at www.var2pharma.com.
TRACER CRO
TRACER CRO, a specialized imaging CRO, adds optical and nuclear molecular imaging to clinical trials. By labeling compounds for imaging, insights into biodistribution and pharmacokinetics are provided. This approach is particularly well-suited for Phase 0 exploratory trials, enabling the collection of data through microdosing studies. TRACER collaborates with drug developers to rapidly evaluate the potential of their compounds in patient populations.
