Berlin Biotech Breakthrough: Myelo is Only 3 Years old and Already Starting a Phase II Trial for Breast Cancer!

berlin myelo therapeutics chemo cancer drug trial

Myelo Therapeutics in Berlin (Germany) has been approved for a phase II trial for its Chemo-induced Neutropenia therapy for Breast cancer after completing a successful series B financing round.

myelo_therapeutics_cancer_neutropeniaA reduced level of neutrophils (a type of leukocyte) is called neutropenia. It can leave a patient vulnerable to infection and to developing febrile neutropenia, a condition that can be fatal and requires hospital admission.

Chemotherapy induced neutropenia (CIN) can therefore be an additional life-threatening risk to cancer patients, and is a key therapeutic area for immuno-oncological research in Biotech. About 2.4 million chemotherapy cycles with a high to medium risk for CIN are given each year and the global market for therapies to prevent CIN has a mounts to more than €4.58Bn.

neutropenia_chemo_myelo_therapeutics_cancer
US Study of Febrile Neutropenia in between 3,814 chemotherapy patients between 2005 – 2008 (Schilling MB, et al. Exp Ther Med. 2011;2:859-866) (Source: Neutropenia Risk)

Myelo001 is a small molecule that works to increase hematopoesis (blood cell production). Its oral application is being investigated as a treatment for CIN and also chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT).

It was also found to induce the differentiation of immature myeloid precursors, to bulk up the white cell count through increased production (and so strengthen the immune system of patients). The effect of myelo001 is determined by both the protection of immature granulocytic cells in their early stage after treatment, and more active maturation of neutrophils.

hematopoiesis_myelo_chemo_cancer_neutropenia
Simplified diagram of Blood cell differentiation (Hematopoeisis) which occurs in the bone marrow of Soft bones (Source: Myelo Therapeutics)

Myelo001’s phase II trial is therefore enrolling 160 patients from across 20 sites in Germany who are receiving adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. The candidate will be taken in tablet form once a day, starting 5 days prior to chemo treatment start and the MyeloConcept trial results are expected in the first half of 2017.

The series B round was led by venture capital investors IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft (yes, they’re German too…) with its VC Fonds Technologie Berlin and Eckert Life Science Accelerator (ELSA).

However, there is still major competition in the field, with the launch of Neulasta by Novartis (a Biosimilar of Amgen’s Neupogen) and also a biosimilar from Cinfa, all of which also target Neutropenia. It makes me wonder how Myelo001 hopes to compete with such blockbusters?

Nonetheless, this is an impressive feat for a biotech that is only 3 years old, and Myelo have clearly impressed some major VCs enough to invest in their pipeline so early in the game.


Feature Image Credit: The Trabi Car Mural at the East Side Gallery Wall (Berlin, Germany), close to where I live!

 

Explore other topics: Blood disordersCancerGermany

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