Cancer

Mouse studies suggest KYNU could help treat melanoma, colorectal and breast cancers. In a mouse model of colon cancer, peritumoral injection of Pseudomonas fluorescens KYNU conjugated to polyethylene glycol (PEG) increased survival compared with an inactivated version of the conjugate. In a mouse model of melanoma, peritumoral injection of the conjugate decreased tumor growth and increased number of proliferating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and survival, and an anti-PD-1 antibody plus peritumoral injection of the conjugate increased survival compared with the antibody plus the inactivated conjugate. In a mouse model of breast cancer, an anti-CTLA4 antibody plus peritumoral injection of the conjugate increased survival. Ongoing work in collaboration with Kyn Therapeutics Inc. has included generating and testing Kynase, a human KYNU variant engineered for enhanced catalytic activity and optimal pharmacodynamic properties in primates. ...