Tract Bio Targets Drug-Resistant Cancer Stem Cells

The company’s lead candidate, TP101, is a first-in-class small molecule combination featuring a bivalent IAP antagonist and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor ponatinib. Presented at the AACR D3 conference in Boston, data indicates the treatment selectively targets cancer stem cells in epithelial solid tumors while sparing healthy epithelial stem cells. In preclinical mouse xenografts, the compound achieved near-complete tumor regression in esophageal adenocarcinoma and depleted tumor-associated fibroblasts.

Separately, at the AACR Special Conference on Rare Cancers in Vancouver, researchers detailed the use of the proprietary stemECHO platform to address high-grade serous ovarian cancer. By cloning stem cells from individual patient specimens, the team identified polyresistant populations and screened them against hundreds of compounds. This functional approach aims to provide patient-specific drug sensitivity profiles within four weeks of a biopsy. Dr. Frank McKeon, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Tract Bio, stated that the TP101 data supports the transition toward an Investigational New Drug submission, potentially offering a new strategy for Barrett’s esophagus and high-grade epithelial malignancies.