Theralase uncovers new use-case for flagship drug
Healthcare stock Theralase Technologies (TSXV:TLT) recently discovered that its lead drug candidate, Ruvidar, has the potential to inhibit deubiquitinating enzymes, which are linked to certain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases
Theralase is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing light, radiation, sound and/or drug-activated small molecule compounds, associated drug formulations and the systems that activate them to destroy various cancers, bacteria and viruses
Theralase stock has added 18.75 per cent year-over-year but remains down by 9.52 per cent since 2020
Theralase Technologies (TSXV:TLT), a healthcare stock focused on treating select cancers, bacteria and viruses, recently discovered that its lead drug candidate, Ruvidar, has the potential to inhibit deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which are linked to certain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
Ruvidar has been shown to induce oxidative stress in cancer cells through the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), facilitating their destruction without affecting healthy cells. The drug – alone and/or in combination with Transferrin to produce the compound Rutherrin -has delivered promising results against bladder cancer, lung cancer, as well as various viruses, including recent breakthroughs in the treatment of herpes. The chart below depicts Ruvidar's latest potential use-case as a DUBs inhibitor: Correlation between administration of Ruvidar and reduction in DUBs activity.
According to Monday's news release, 'DUBs cause cellular damage by removing ubiquitin or ubiquitin-like molecules from target proteins.' These molecules are found in all eukaryotic cells – encompassing animals, plants and humans – playing 'an essential role in regulating gene expression, DNA repair, cytokine signaling, cell metabolism, cell cycle and cell death.'
Theralase's study looks to build upon recent evidence that the alteration of DUBs is a key cause behind cancer drug resistance. Leadership insights
'Our latest research provides compelling evidence that Ruvidar not only induces oxidative stress through the production of ROS to destroy cancer cells, but also directly inhibits DUBs activity – a key host mechanism exploited by the cancer cell to evade immune defenses,' Mark Roufaiel, research scientist at Theralase, said in a statement. 'This dual mechanism positions Ruvidar as a promising therapeutic candidate, particularly against cancers, where traditional chemotherapeutics demonstrate limited effectiveness.'
'With the increasing prevalence of chemoradiotherapy-resistant cancers, Ruvidar, as an effective DUBs inhibitor, may be indispensable clinically to be used as a combinational therapy with various chemotherapy drugs and/or radiotherapy to provide a safe and effective treatment against various forms of chemoradiotherapy-resistant cancers,' commented Arkady Mandel, Theralase's chief scientific officer. 'The discovery of Ruvidar's effectiveness against DUBs is a notable milestone in the development of Theralase's small-molecule program and can be used for treating cancer, but could be expanded far beyond this to the treatment of age-associated medical conditions, various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis, as well as to effectively combat various infectious diseases.'
'According to recent peer-reviewed research, reducing DUBs plays a very important role in the war against cancer and its innate ability to build up drug resistance,' added Roger DuMoulin-White, Theralase's president and chief executive officer. 'This latest research reinforces an additional mechanism of action beyond direct cancer destruction and indirect immune stimulation, stripping away one of cancer's final defence mechanisms. As Theralase pursues clinical development of Ruvidar for numerous cancers, such as brain and lung cancer, I look forward to reporting out on the clinical safety and efficacy of these programs.' About Theralase Technologies
Theralase is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing light, radiation, sound and/or drug-activated small molecule compounds, associated drug formulations and the systems that activate them to destroy various cancers, bacteria and viruses.
Theralase stock (TSXV:TLT) last traded at C$0.19 per share. The stock has added 18.75 per cent year-over-year but remains down by 9.52 per cent since 2020.
Join the discussion: Find out what everybody's saying about this healthcare stock on the Theralase Technologies Inc. Bullboard and check out Stockhouse's stock forums and message boards.
The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. For full disclaimer information, please click here.
(Top image, generated by AI: Adobe Stock)
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