Fujifilm Announces Research Results for Novel Liposome Drug Candidate

FUJIFILM Corporation recently announced the drug release mechanism of continuous action in tumors for the anti-cancer agent FF-10832, currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials in the United States. In addition, it has also been observed that improved pharmacological efficacy is demonstrated when administered in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, with prolonged survival compared to monotherapy. These research results have been clarified through preclinical study in mice. FF-10832 is a liposome-based agent in which gemcitabine, an anti-cancer agent indicated for pancreatic cancer, etc., is encapsulated in distinctive liposomes.

Liposomes are artificially constructed vesicles made from organic phospholipids that make up cellular membranes. They provide a type of drug delivery system (DDS) technology that delivers the required amount of a drug to the specific area of the body in timely manner. In some cases, anti-cancer agents can act on healthy tissues instead of the tumor, leading to adverse side effects. However, by encapsulating the drug in a liposome, it is expected that the drug will be selectively delivered to the tumor, suppressing side effects and enhancing the pharmacological efficacy of the drug.

Gemcitabine has a very short elimination half-life in the blood. FF-10832, a liposome-based agent, can stabilize the gemcitabine in the blood, accumulating and releasing the blood at tumors with an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. The study in mice demonstrated that when administered as the liposome-based agent with a low dose amounting to 1/60 of a dose, the pharmacological benefit of FF-10832 had a significantly better outcome compared to simply administering gemcitabine alone. The pharmacological benefit of FF-10832 was also found in mice where certain types of cancer cells were transplanted, in which gemcitabine did not demonstrate much effectiveness.

While Fujifilm began US Phase I clinical trials on FF-10832 in May this year, they also conducted the studies in mice, elucidating the drug-release mechanism in tumors and continuing research on synergistic effects with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. These studies yielded the following results.

(1) Drug-Release Mechanism of Continuous Action in Tumors

-FF-10832 was labeled with a fluorescent dye and administered to mice transplanted with human-derived pancreatic cancer cells (Capan-1). Analysis of the behavior of FF-10832 revealed that it had accumulated in those pancreatic cancer cells, and it was observed that immune cells called macrophages within the cancer cells had taken up FF-10832.

-After incorporating FF-10832, the macrophages released the gemcitabine outside of the cell.

-It was observed that FF-10832 had a greater pharmacological efficacy compared to when administering gemcitabine alone, inhibiting DNA synthesis for cell proliferation over a longer period of time.

From the above, the mechanism for longer exposure of cells was explicated. FF-10832 accumulates in tumor tissue through the EPR effect, and after being incorporated into macrophage, the gemcitabine is gradually released from the liposomes.

(2) Improved Pharmacological Efficacy Observed When Administered in Combination With an Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor

Experiment: Mice transplanted with mouse-derived breast cancer cells (EMT6) were used to perform single agent administration and concomitant administration of FF-10832 and immune checkpoint inhibitor to confirm efficacy and tolerability. The administration period was three cycles of the immune checkpoint inhibitor (30 mg/m²) twice a week, and three cycles of FF-10832 (12 mg/m²) once a week.

Results:

-When administered as a monotherapy, the median value for mouse survival periods was 15 days for the immune checkpoint inhibitor and 27 days for FF-10832. Meanwhile, when administered as a combination therapy, the median value for mouse survival periods exceeded 46 days, demonstrating a statistically significant difference when compared with the monotherapies. Mouse survival rates for the combination therapy were 100% at 46 days after the 1^st administration.

-Even when administered as a combination therapy, noticeable side effects such as weight loss were not observed, and there were no issues with tolerability.

Based on the above, FF-10832 is expected to further suppress tumor proliferation through administration in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor and prolong survival periods.

Fujifilm is harnessing its advanced technologies such as the nano-dispersion technology and ability to synthesize and design compounds to undertake the development of new drugs in the key areas of cancer, central nervous system diseases, and infectious diseases. The company is also focusing on developing drug delivery system (DDS) technologies including liposome drugs, undertaking research and development to apply DDS technologies not only to low-molecular-weight drugs but also to next-generation drugs such as nucleic acid drugs and gene therapy drugs. Going forward, the company will contribute to the resolution of social issues by developing and delivering innovative, high value-added pharmaceutical products.