Genprex, Inc. has entered into an exclusive patent license agreement with NYU Langone Health to develop Reqorsa® Gene Therapy as a potential treatment for mesothelioma.

This agreement grants Genprex patent exclusivity for Reqorsa, which leverages the TUSC2 tumor suppressor gene to specifically target cancer cells.

Administered intravenously, Reqorsa is designed to deliver the TUSC2 gene to cancer cells while minimizing effects on healthy tissue, demonstrating significantly higher uptake in tumor cells compared to normal cells.

Recent preclinical data presented at the 2024 EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium indicated that Reqorsa significantly reduced cell proliferation and invasion, while also increasing apoptosis in malignant pleural mesothelioma cell lines.

Research shows that TUSC2 expression is downregulated in 84% of mesothelioma cases, underscoring the therapy's potential effectiveness.

Mesothelioma primarily affects the pleura surrounding the lungs, accounting for 80-90% of diagnoses, with around 3,000 new cases and 2,500 deaths reported annually in the U.S.

The average life expectancy for patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma is approximately 18 months, with a three-year survival rate of only 23% post-treatment.

Thomas Gallagher, Senior VP at Genprex, expressed optimism about expanding their oncology research program and clinical studies for Reqorsa.

In 2024, Genprex established a Mesothelioma Clinical Advisory Board, consisting of four leading researchers, to bolster its oncology program.

Genprex's innovations in gene therapy aim to provide new treatment options for cancer and diabetes patients who have limited alternatives.