Smart drug that strips cancer cells of ‘invisibility cloak’ can shrink tumours by 30%, trial shows
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- GRWD5769 combined with cemiplimab shrank tumors in 26 of 83 patients across six cancer types in a phase‑1 trial in the UK, France, Spain and Australia.
- Cemiplimab was given with GRWD5769, and the combination achieved tumor reductions of ≥30% in 15 patients across cervical, bladder, liver, bowel, lung and head‑and‑neck cancers.
- Greywolf Therapeutics created GRWD5769, a tablet that removes the “invisibility cloak” cancer cells use to evade T‑cells, enabling immunotherapy to target them.
- Prof Fiona Thistlethwaite reported the oral tablets were well tolerated by participants, with no major safety concerns observed.
- ASCO presented the phase‑1 results, showing disease stabilization for at least six months in 18% of cervical, 32% of liver, 36% of bladder, 38% of head‑and‑neck, 51% of bowel and 55% of lung cancer patients.
Why it matters: Patients with refractory cervical, bladder, liver, bowel, lung or head‑and‑neck cancers gain a new oral option that can boost immunotherapy response, potentially reducing treatment costs and extending survival.
