Monopar Announces Promising Preclinical Data for its MNPR-101 Radiopharma Program Targeting Advanced Cancers

WILMETTE, Ill., Feb. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monopar Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: MNPR), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for cancer patients, today announced promising preclinical imaging and therapeutic efficacy data for its MNPR-101 radiopharmaceutical program. This novel first-in-class radiopharma program targets cancers expressing the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), which include a majority of all triple-negative breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers.

MNPR-101 Conjugated to Imaging Radioisotope

Maximizing the dose delivered to the tumor relative to normal tissue is of paramount importance in radiopharmaceutical therapy. Figure 1 below shows the before and after optimization of MNPR-101-Zr, Monopar’s radiopharmaceutical imaging agent for advanced solid tumors expressing uPAR. Monopar’s in-house radiopharmaceutical development team was able to significantly increase tumor uptake of MNPR-101-Zr while minimizing uptake in healthy tissue, as shown in this preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) sequential imaging time-series. The high specificity and durable tumor uptake are evident in the After Optimization panel below.

MNPR-101 Conjugated to Therapeutic Radioisotopes

Preclinical data to date demonstrate compelling and durable anti-tumor benefits with MNPR-101 conjugated to therapeutic radioisotopes. Figure 2 below shows preclinical efficacy data in a triple negative breast cancer as well as a pancreatic cancer human tumor xenograft mouse model utilizing two different therapeutic radioisotopes conjugated to MNPR-101; one of these radioisotopes has already been disclosed as being actinium-225 (Ac-225). The results in both show near complete elimination of the tumor after a single injection of the radiopharmaceutical agent. These studies demonstrate the potential of a MNPR-101 based radiopharmaceutical to provide a very meaningful clinical benefit to patients.

Monopar recently announced it received Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) clearance in Australia to commence a Phase 1 dosimetry clinical trial for MNPR-101-Zr in advanced cancer patients. “As we prepare to launch this clinical trial, we are encouraged by the significant, precise, and durable accumulation we are seeing in tumors and the corresponding therapeutic benefit in preclinical human tumor xenograft models,” said Andrew Cittadine, Monopar’s Chief Operating Officer. “We are aiming to present these promising preclinical results at an upcoming scientific meeting.”