Qualigen Therapeutics Secures Option to Negotiate License for G-Quadruplex Anti-Cancer Technology 

Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. recently announced it has entered into a Material Evaluation and Option Agreement with the University College London (UCL) to advance development of and potentially expand toward future commercial uses of Qualigen’s leading anticancer drug candidate AS1411-GNP, also known as ALAN (Aptamer-Linked Anti-Nucleolin).

In collaboration with the University of Louisville, Qualigen will evaluate the use of ALAN with G-quadruplex binders (GQBs) developed by Professor Stephen Neidle and colleagues from UCL. Research at UCL, supported by the UCL Technology Fund, has shown encouraging results using GQBs and targeted cancer therapeutics, particularly for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Qualigen believes the combination of these GQBs with ALAN may increase the cancer selectivity, and therefore also the efficacy, of ALAN. Qualigen has secured an option to pursue a worldwide commercial license for this promising technology from UCL Business Ltd, the commercialization company of UCL.

“This agreement with UCL will allow Qualigen to study a significant potential indication for ALAN with improved selectivity for pancreatic cancer cells. In addition to the pancreatic cancer treatment indication, we also continue to evaluate ALAN to treat leukemia and glioblastoma, and as an adjuvant therapy to stop the recurrence of cancer after initial treatment,” stated Michael Poirier, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Qualigen.

“We look forward to collaborating with Qualigen and continuing to support our partners in the development of exciting new therapeutics around G-quadruplex binders and other targeted cancer therapeutics,” said Prof. Stephen Neidle of UCL “The use of our proprietary GQBs to potentially increase the efficacy of ALAN could provide a major leap forward in the treatment of often terminal diseases such as pancreatic cancer.”

According to the American Cancer Society, for all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the 1-year relative survival rate is 20%, and the five-year rate is 9%.

ALAN is a combination of Qualigen’s AS1411 DNA aptamer plus a DNA-coated gold nanoparticle to dramatically increase its potency. This cancer drug candidate has the potential to target and destroy tumor cells in a various types of cancer with minimal side effects. The Company is aiming to commence Phase 1 human trials in 2021 for acute myeloid leukemia, its lead indication. Qualigen has an exclusive worldwide license agreement from the University of Louisville for ALAN.

Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, as well as maintaining and expanding its core FDA-approved FastPack System, which has been used successfully in diagnostics for 20 years. The company’s cancer therapeutics pipeline includes ALAN (AS1411-GNP), RAS-F and STARS. ALAN (AS1411-GNP) is a DNA coated gold nanoparticle cancer drug candidate that has the potential to target various types of cancer with minimal side effects. The foundational nucleolin-targeting DNA aptamer of ALAN, AS1411, is also a drug candidate for use in treating COVID-19 and other viral-based infectious diseases. RAS-F is a family of RAS oncogene protein-protein interaction inhibitor small molecules for preventing mutated RAS genes’ proteins from binding to their effector proteins; preventing this binding could stop tumor growth, especially in pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers. STARS is a DNA/RNA-based treatment device candidate for removal from circulating blood of precisely targeted tumor-produced and viral compounds. Because Qualigen’s therapeutic candidates are still in the development stage, Qualigen’s only products that are currently commercially available are FastPack System diagnostic instruments and test kits, used in physician offices, clinics and small hospitals around the world. The FastPack System menu includes rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests for cancer, men’s health, hormone function, vitamin D status and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Qualigen’s facility in Carlsbad, California is FDA and ISO Certified and its FastPack product line is sold worldwide by its commercial partner Sekisui Diagnostics, LLC. For more information, visit https://www.qualigeninc.com/.

UCL Business Ltd (UCLB), part of UCL Innovation & Enterprise, is the commercialisation company for UCL. Working with UCL’s globally renowned faculties and associated hospitals; University College London Hospitals, Moorfields Eye Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the Royal Free London Hospital, it brings together exceptional ideas, innovations and industry to benefit society and the economy.

UCLB’s track record of success includes over £1.5 billion raised in investment for UCL spinouts, and its Portico Ventures Programme is enabling the next wave of technology-based businesses to thrive in a fast-moving ecosystem. Its fund offerings – Apollo Therapeutics (in partnership with leading UK universities and pharmaceutical companies), UCL Technology Fund, and Social Ventures fund – help to bring pioneering technologies from the laboratory to market, enabling academic entrepreneurs to tackle global challenges, from energy and engineering to healthcare and the environment. For more information, visit www.uclb.com.