[Edaily Reporter KIM SAE-MI ] MedPacto, Inc.(235980)’s next-generation anticancer drug candidate “MP010” has demonstrated tumor regression and long-term immune memory effects in a pancreatic cancer animal model.

MedPacto, Inc. announced on the 10th that the preclinical study results for MP010 were published in the international academic journal *Cancer Cell*.

*Cancer Cell* is a specialized journal on cancer research published by the global academic publisher Cell Press. As of last year, its Impact Factor (IF) was 56.1, placing it on par with the world-renowned scientific journal *Nature*.

Selected as the cover article for the November issue of *Cancer Cell*, the paper was published under the title “A Stroma-Sensing TGF-β Blockade Reprograms CAF–Myeloid Niches to Induce Durable Tumor Immunity.”

MP010 is a transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) inhibitor that acts selectively on the tumor microenvironment (TME). TGF-β is a substance involved in tumor immune evasion; it forms a fibrotic barrier around cancer cells and hinders the infiltration of immune cells.

Existing TGF-β inhibitors act systemically and can affect normal tissues, making it difficult to ensure both anticancer efficacy and safety. In contrast, MP010 is designed to selectively block TGF-β by targeting “extra-domain-B fibronectin” (EDB-FN), a protein abundantly present around tumors.

In this study, the researchers used “FEBP-sTβRII,” a preclinical compound related to MP010, and confirmed its ability to weaken the fibrotic barrier surrounding the tumor and induce T cells to infiltrate the tumor tissue. Furthermore, it was shown to enhance the antitumor immune response by modulating the function of cancer-associated fibroblasts and immune cells.

When the research team conducted experiments on pancreatic cancer animal models with different genetic characteristics, the PKCY model recorded a 75% complete tumor regression rate by day 30 of treatment. In the PKC model as well, tumors completely disappeared in 4 out of 6 animals (66.7%). Notably, in the PKCY model, 7 out of 8 animals (87.5%) were still alive 327 days after the start of treatment, confirming the long-term efficacy of the treatment.

When the same cancer cells were re-implanted into animals in which the tumor had completely disappeared, tumor regrowth was also inhibited. Specifically, in animals from the PKCY model that had achieved complete remission, tumors did not grow in 9 out of 10 animals to which a different type of pancreatic cancer cell was re-implanted, and tumors were rejected in 4 out of 5 animals to which lung cancer cells were implanted. However, this cross-protective effect varied depending on the type of cancer initially treated and the type of cancer cells re-implanted.

These results demonstrate the potential for immune memory formed during the initial treatment to provide a certain level of protective effect not only against the original cancer but also against other cancer cells. The research team concluded that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are involved in the formation of long-term antitumor immune responses.

Kim Seong-jin, Chairman of MedPacto, Inc., explained, “This study confirmed that suppressing TGF-β around the tumor leads to a complete cure and long-term immune effects.” He added, “This is significant as the first study to demonstrate that even if the ‘CIAAT’—that is, the cancer cells—possess diverse genetic profiles, treatment and prevention of recurrence are possible by altering the ‘soil’—the environment.”

Chairman Kim noted that this study is significant because it suggests the potential to enhance treatment efficacy by improving the tumor microenvironment, even in solid tumors that do not respond to existing immunotherapy drugs. However, since the research is still in the animal testing phase, its efficacy in actual patients must be verified through clinical trials.

MedPacto, Inc. is currently compiling toxicity test data and other materials to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for MP010. The company plans to conduct clinical trials in South Korea and the United States, aiming for IND approval early next year.

Woo Jeong-won, CEO of MedPacto, Inc., stated, “We have demonstrated the potential for TGF-β inhibitors to expand into a broad-spectrum anticancer agent through new possibilities in immune memory research,” adding, “We expect MP010 to become a ‘game-changer’ that leads a new medical paradigm capable of defending against future cancers through the power of the immune system.”

Meanwhile, MedPacto, Inc. is in discussions with several global pharmaceutical companies regarding joint research and early technology transfer for MP010. MP010 has been selected as a 2025 Second Round National New Drug Development Project grant recipient by the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF) and is receiving research funding.