Our Technology
Innovative Technology. Oncology Focus.
Our Technology
CorriXR Therapeutics has developed an innovative CRISPR/Cas molecule to knock out a transcription factor controlling the tumor microenvironment and resistance pathways. This approach can be used as a neoadjuvant to shrink tumors prior to surgery, thus optimizing tissue and organ preservation. Pre-treatment with CXR101 could also be part of a broad-based combinatorial therapeutic regimen to sensitize tumor cells to SOC (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy), potentially enabling reduced doses and higher likelihood of completion of treatment course.
Our initial genetic pathway target is the NRF2 gene. The NRF2 protein is a master transcriptional regulator that functions to activate genes in response to cellular stress and is implicated in developing a pro-carcinogenic microenvironment around tumor cells. Our objective is to use CRISPR-directed gene editing to disable NRF2 gene functions in cancer cells. Our preclinical data in both cell and animal models confirms that the NRF2 gene is a viable target for a gene editing therapeutic for solid tumors.
The CorriXR delivery system is a proven lipid nanoparticle approach that when combined with direct intratumoral injection minimizes off-target effects.
Novel Oncology Target for Gene Editing:
NRF2 Pathway
The NRF2 protein is a global transcriptional regulator that functions to activate genes in response to cellular stress. NRF2 maintains homeostasis in terms of normal cell behavior but can also act as an oncogene and help tumor development.
Upregulation of NRF2 by deleterious mutations is found in several tumor types, especially in squamous cell lung cancer. Mutational activation of the KEAP1/NRF2 pathway is connected to therapy resistance.
In Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) and squamous Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in vitro and in vivo studies, our data show that disabling NRF2 leads to cell death and tumor shrinkage in combination with chemotherapy drugs.
CorriXR Development Pipeline
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