Atossa Therapeutics Announces Expanded Research Agreement with Weill Cornell Medicine to Further Evaluate Synergy Between Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) and (Z)-Endoxifen

SEATTLE, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atossa Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATOS) (“Atossa” or the “Company”) today announced an expanded research agreement with Weill Cornell Medicine to explore the potential synergy between antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and (Z)-endoxifen. Atossa is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines in areas of significant unmet medical need in oncology with a focus on breast cancer.

The expanded research agreement with Weill Cornell will build on previously conducted in silico research that determined a strong clinically relevant anti-tumor effect when combining ADCs and (Z)-endoxifen. Specifically, the artificial intelligence modeling showed that the combination of (Z)-endoxifen with ADCs will enhance the pro-apoptotic effects seen after administration of either therapy alone. This computer-based analysis was further validated by previously published preclinical studies looking at the effect of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) and chemotherapy combination strategies. Seven key opinion leaders also confirmed the strong scientific rationale and proposed efficacy of combining (Z)-endoxifen with ADCs in patients with advanced breast cancer.

ADCs are a specially designed class of therapeutics that target cancer cells expressing specific antigens using directed antibody-drug delivery. The therapies bind to targets on the cell, causing the release of a cytotoxic drug designed to kill the cancer cell. The Weill Cornell research will focus on the combination of (Z)-endoxifen and two FDA-approved ADCs, TRODELVY and ENHERTU. Both are currently approved as monotherapies to treat metastatic breast cancer. Additionally, TRODELVY is approved to treat adults with metastatic bladder and urinary tract cancers.

“The in silico modeling analysis identified multiple synergistic mechanism of actions of ADCs and (Z)-endoxifen, including cell cycle arrest and upregulation of pro-apoptotic mechanisms,” said Dr. Steven Quay, Atossa’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This means that the combination may be far greater than the sum of the individual parts. The work we are doing with Weill Cornell is designed to validate the in silico modeling in well-established cell culture models of breast cancer. Once we have this data, we expect to move quickly into a clinical study investigating a (Z)-endoxifen / ADC combination in patients with late-line metastatic breast cancer.”