MST1R

Funding to Advance Novel Treatments and Strengthen MECC's Robust Patient Navigation Program BRONX, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center (MECC) more than $2.1 million to support cancer research and reduce individual and systematic barriers that prevent people from accessing cancer care. Continue Reading Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S., director of the MECC; vice president for cancer medicine at Montefiore Health System; and the Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine and professor of medicine, of oncology, and of molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Connie Bordenga, MD, MS, Cancer Support Strategic Partnerships Manager at the American Cancer Society Approximately 40% of people born in the United States will receive a cancer diagnosis. In the Bronx—the nation's poorest urban county where 29.7% of residents live below the poverty line—MECC sees more than 3,500 people with new cancer diagnoses each year. Bronx residents are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of disease, compared to the national average. This disparity is consistent with other historically marginalized communities and is an area of active research at the cancer center. Developing New Cancer Treatments The largest ACS grants—for $792,000 and $660,000—support research by Haiying Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., and Kira Gritsman, M.D., Ph.D., respectively. Dr. Cheng, a member of MECC and associate professor of oncology and of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, focuses on people with lung cancer, the majority of whom develop metastatic disease. She found that a gene called RICTOR is amplified in a group of lung cancer patients who face a high risk that their lung tumors will spread to the brain. With her ACS grant, Dr. Cheng hopes to determine if targeting RICTOR can treat lung cancer metastases or even prevent them from forming. In studies of blood cancers called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), Dr. Gritsman, co-leader of MECC's stem cell and cancer biology research program and professor of oncology, of medicine, and of cell biology at Einstein, found that crizotinib—a drug approved for treating lung cancer—proved effective in a people with a type of MPN. The ACS support assists her lab in determining if crizotinib prevents out-of-control blood-cell division in mouse models of MPN, with the goal of moving the drug swiftly into clinical trials. In addition, she will investigate a protein inhibited by crizotinib, RON kinase, as a new target for MPN. Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers The ACS grants will also enable MECC to add navigators to streamline appointments, such as imaging studies, lab assessments and treatments, for individuals with locally advanced, non-metastatic cancer who would benefit from neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), which is intended to shrink a tumor prior to surgery. This new initiative is particularly important in the Bronx, where only 60% of MECC's patients complete all intended NAT visits and up to 40% miss at least one due to treatment toxicity or socioeconomic factors. "We pride ourselves on delivering the most research-driven cancer care, but if we don't fully understand and address the social factors that interfere with scheduling and attending appointments, we're never going to reach our ultimate goal – healing people so they can return to living their lives," said Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S., director of the MECC; vice president for cancer medicine at Montefiore Health System; and the Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine and professor of medicine, of oncology, and of molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "By deepening our partnership with the ACS, we're advancing our ability to recognize infrastructural biases, identify new treatments relevant to our community and provide the very best support to our patients and their families." The ACS funding is also helping MECC tackle transportation barriers, which are strongly associated with no-show visits, and is adding more free cancer screenings and continuing education courses for doctors and nurses aimed at improving racial equity. "As a nationwide leader in cancer education and advocacy, we are proud to partner with Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center to better understand the biology of cancer and how socioeconomic factors impact care access and cancer outcomes," said Connie Bordenga, MD, MS, Cancer Support Strategic Partnerships Manager at the American Cancer Society. "Our work in tackling inequities is only the beginning of a larger shift in how we as a country will redefine the future of cancer care." About Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center (MECC) is a national leader in cancer research and care located in the ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged borough of the Bronx, N.Y. MECC combines the exceptional science of Albert Einstein College of Medicine with the multidisciplinary and team-based approach to cancer care of Montefiore Health System. Founded in 1971 and a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Center since 1972, MECC is redefining excellence in cancer research, clinical care, education and training, and community outreach and engagement. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cancer for all, especially people from historically marginalized communities. About the American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. We invest in lifesaving research, provide 24/7 information and support, and work to ensure that individuals in every community have access to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. For more information, visit cancer.org. SOURCE Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center

DALLAS, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study examining how to harness one's immune system to eliminate metastatic breast cancer (MBC) tumors in the body is receiving a three-year $600,000 grant from Susan G. Komen®, the world's leading breast cancer organization. This grant joins Komen's active portfolio of over $65 million currently invested in metastatic breast cancer research. The pre-clinical research project titled, "Supplementing Effects of Immunotherapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer," led by Susan G. Komen Scholar Alana Welm, Ph.D., from the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, aims to determine how targeting a protein could enable the immune system to block a mechanism that drives the spread of breast cancer, known as metastasis, to other parts of the body. "Finding the cures for MBC will only be accomplished through new innovative research such as the project Dr. Welm is leading," said Victoria Wolodzko Smart, SVP of Mission at Susan G. Komen. "Understanding more about this potential therapeutic target could lead to a promising new treatment option for people with metastatic breast cancer, and we hope it could one day save thousands of lives lost every year to MBC." Welm and her team have identified that a protein found in the body called sfRon kinase regulates T-cell activity, a component of the immune system, and their ability to kill breast cancer cells. Welm and her research team will analyze how sfRon kinase functions and test how a promising new drug called a RON inhibitor could enable one's immune system to eliminate deadly micro-metastatic tumors and kill breast cancer cells before they spread. RON inhibitor drugs have completed phase I clinical trials with favorable results, and this study aims to better understand how these drugs work with the immune system to fight MBC. "Understanding the function of sfRon kinase and its role in metastasis brings us closer to determining how to intervene to kill cancer cells before they spread. The immune system holds tremendous potential in intervening early and this grant could help us advance a targeted therapy option for people living with MBC," said Welm. MBC, also known as stage 4, is the most advanced stage of breast cancer and remains incurable today. Only 30 percent of women with MBC in the U.S. live at least 5 years after diagnosis. MBC is responsible for most of the nearly 44,00 breast cancer deaths that were expected to occur in the US this year. Susan G. Komen's Excellence in Metastatic Breast Cancer Research grant awarded to Welm is made possible through Komen's fundraising campaign for metastatic breast cancer in October. Learn more about Susan G. Komen's innovative research to help find the cures for breast cancer, including the nearly $248 million invested in MBC research since 1992. About Susan G. Komen® Susan G. Komen® is the world's leading nonprofit breast cancer organization, working to save lives and end breast cancer forever. Komen has an unmatched, comprehensive 360-degree approach to fighting this disease across all fronts and supporting millions of people in the U.S. and in countries worldwide. We advocate for patients, drive research breakthroughs, improve access to high-quality care, offer direct patient support and empower people with trustworthy information. Founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy's life, Komen remains committed to supporting those affected by breast cancer today, while tirelessly searching for tomorrow's cures. Visit komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at www.komen.org/contact-us/follow-us/.

Montreal, Canada. May 29, 2012 – MethylGene Inc. (TSX:MYG) today announced that clinical data for its Met/VEGF-R kinase inhibitor, MGCD265, will be presented at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting to be held in Chicago, Illinois from June 1 to 5, 2012. This poster presentation will highlight the safety pro MGCD265 when used as a monotherapy in this ongoing dose-escalation study. Poster Presentation MGCD265, a multitargeted oral tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor of Met and VEGFR: Dose-escalation Phase I study. Date and Time: Monday June 4, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM (CT) Session: Developmental Therapeutics - Experimental Therapeutics Abstract No.: 3039 Location: S Hall A2 About MGCD265 MGCD265 is a novel, oral small molecule inhibitor that targets a unique spectrum of receptor tyrosine kinases: Met, VEGFR 1, 2, and 3, Tie-2 and Ron. These kinases play key roles in tumor development, survival and metastasis as well as the inappropriate formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis) that nourish the tumor. MGCD265 has completed one Phase 1 single agent study, and is nearing completion of one Phase 1 single agent clinical trial and one Phase 1/2 combination clinical trial (with erlotinib and docetaxel) in solid tumors. About MethylGene MethylGene Inc. (TSX:MYG) is a small molecule drug development company that is advancing two novel therapeutics for cancer and infectious disease in human clinical trials. The Company’s lead product candidates are: MGCD290, an oral antifungal agent targeting the fungal Hos2 enzyme that is currently in Phase 2 trials for vulvovaginal candidiasis, and MGCD265, an oral Met/VEGF receptor kinase inhibitor that is in Phase 1/2 clinical trials for solid tumor cancers. MethylGene owns all rights to its lead product candidates, and has partnerships with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., and EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for its other pipeline programs. Investor Relations Contact: Joseph Walewicz, CFA Vice President, Business & Corporate Development MethylGene Inc. Phone: 514-337-3333 ext. 373 ir@methylgene.com Thomas Fechtner Vice President The Trout Group LLC Phone: 646-378-2931 tfechtner@troutgroup.com