Designed as an analog of ceramide, preclinical evaluation has shown potential against prostate, breast, and pancreatic tumors.
BioLineRx gained worldwide, exclusive rights to an anticancer drug from two Jerusalem medical institutes. BL-4060 is an analog of the fatty molecule ceramide indicated for the treatment of cancer.
“BL-4060 belongs to a new generation of anticancer drugs that attempt to selectively induce apoptosis only in tumorigenic cells,” explains Morris C. Laster, M.D., CEO of BioLineRx. “These drugs are expected to be highly efficient and yet induce fewer side effects than current anti-cancer drugs.”
Ceramide is a strong proapoptotic agent. In preclinical studies, BL-4060 treatment reportedly resulted in an elevation of ceramide levels in cancer cells. This led to the formation of cytotoxic agents that cause apoptosis. Research also demonstrated that BL-4060 considerably reduced the sizes of pancreatic, prostate, and breast tumors, BioLineRx notes.
The deal was carried out with Yissum and Hadasit, the technology transfer companies of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Organization, respectively.
