RS Oncology Announces New Preclinical Data Show RSO-021 May Block and/or Reverse the Progression of Aggressive Mesotheliomas, Improving Druggability
13.9.2023 16:57:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
RS Oncology, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing innovative therapies to eradicate mesothelioma and other diseases, was part of a collaboration that recently shared new preclinical data at the IASLC 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Singapore. The data, presented by Dr. Dean Fennell, represented a partnership between RS Oncology and other lead research institutions, including the University of Leicester and the Cunniff Laboratory at the University of Vermont Cancer Center.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230912702236/en/
“Sarcomatoid tumors are highly resistant to anti-cancer therapies, and many patients run out of available treatment options. Our findings here might have unveiled a druggable ‘Achilles Heel’ against this terrible disease,” said Dr. Fennell, presenting author on the study. Dr. Fennell and Dr. Cunniff shown at lunch during AACR conference 2023. (Photo courtesy of George Naumov)
Mesotheliomas can transform from a less aggressive epithelioid malignancy to a more aggressive sarcomatoid form. Using biphasic mesotheliomas as a model containing both epithelioid and sarcomatoid features, investigators at the University of Leicester, led by Dr. Fennell, conducted a geospatial analysis of patient tissues to explore the molecular signatures associated with the histological regions.
Using sophisticated spatial analysis tools coupled with machine learning approaches, the group found that the more aggressive sarcomatoid regions had distinct molecular signatures driving pro-tumor pathways, drug resistance, and increased metastatic potential. These findings were validated across an independent cohort of 150 mesothelioma patient tissues. Notably, tumor regions containing sarcomatoid tissue showed features of increased resistance to oxidative stress – a critical tumor cell adaptation for survival.
In collaboration with Dr. Brian Cunniff’s laboratory, the team then evaluated molecular signatures of human biphasic mesothelioma tumor cells following treatment with the irreversible PRX3 inhibitor RSO-021, which is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with malignant pleural effusion caused by advanced/metastatic solid tumors (NCT05278975). RSO-021 treatment reversed the gene signatures associated with epithelial-to-sarcomatoid transition, including downregulation of hypoxia, glycolysis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. These results suggest that this transition, thought to be unidirectional in nature, may be PRX3-dependent, druggable, and now reversible.
“Sarcomatoid tumors are highly resistant to anti-cancer therapies, and many patients run out of available treatment options. Our findings might have unveiled a druggable ‘Achilles Heel’ against this terrible disease,” said Dr. Fennell, presenting author on the study. “The ability to treat such tumors with RSO-021 and revert them to epithelioid malignancies could delay or even prevent emergence of the most aggressive features associated with mesothelioma. Further, RSO-021 could potentially sensitize them to other treatments.”
Presentation Details
Abstract Number: MA17.11
Session:
MA17 - Current Standards and Future Directions in Mesothelioma
Title: Spatial Transformation in Mesothelioma Involves a Hypoxia-TGF Beta-EMT Axis that is Reversible via PRX3 Inhibition
Date: Tuesday, September 12, 10:45 AM UTC +8
About RS Oncology
RS Oncology (RSO) is a clinical stage biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts with a mission to eradicate mesothelioma and other diseases worldwide through novel science and an innovative business model.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230912702236/en/
Contact information
Jarrett Duncan, CEO
j.duncan@rsoncology.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Vertex Energy Announces 6,000 bpd Group III Base Oil Expansion Project24.6.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Vertex Energy, Inc. (“Vertex” or the “Company”) today announced it is advancing a project at its Mobile, Alabama refinery to produce crude-derived conventional Group III base oils through the Company’s existing hydrocracker and related processing infrastructure, providing lubricant manufacturers and blenders with an additional domestic source of high-quality Group III supply. The project is designed to add an incremental 6,000 barrels per day of conventional Group III production capacity and support production of 4 cSt, 6 cSt, and 8 cSt Group III base oils using an existing crude-derived hydrocracked vacuum gas oil stream produced at the Company’s Mobile, Alabama refinery. Combined with the Company’s existing re-refined Group III base oil production, this additional capacity is expected to make Vertex the leading Group III producer in North America. Vertex has completed preliminary design work and has procured a high-pressure lubricants hydrotreating unit. The Company plans to start pr
Taktile Secures $110M in Goldman Sachs-led Series C to Power AI Transformation in Financial Institutions24.6.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Taktile, the leader in AI transformation for financial institutions, today announced its $110 million Series C fundraise. Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives led the round, with participation from Balderton Capital, Index Ventures, Tiger Global, Y Combinator, and Dig Ventures. Taktile Fast Facts Taktile enables banks and insurers to transform into AI-native organizations that are increasingly powered by autonomous agents. Demand for Taktile accelerated in 2025, as AI models became capable of automating high-stakes decisions that previously required hours of manual work—from underwriting business loans and assessing claims to catching financial crime. Customers automate and optimize decisions with Taktile by combining its financial services expertise and product built for sector-specific AI use cases. One of the world’s largest insurers is running multiple use cases on Taktile, with projected cost efficiencies of over $90M in claims processing alone. Taktile’s team has a proven
New MetLife Study Reveals a 72% “Confidence Gap” in Ability to Recover from Life's Setbacks24.6.2026 16:25:00 EEST | Press release
A new multinational study from MetLife reveals a striking “confidence gap”: while most adults describe themselves as resilient, their confidence drops by 72% when faced with real-life setbacks. The Confident Pathways Report, conducted across the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Mexico, was designed to better understand how confidence is built and sustained throughout life. The findings underscore the role of opportunity, preparedness, and support in building confidence - factors that help people navigate uncertainty, recover from setbacks and pursue their goals. At a time when soccer is bringing people and communities together around the world, the findings also highlight how early childhood experiences such as sports, education, and mentorship can help foster resilience and gain confidence from a young age. Key findings across the four countries surveyed include: Confidence drops by 72% when adults consider their ability to recover from setbacks. Respondents were far more lik
StatLab Launches CytoPath Disc, Advancing Standardized Cell Block Preparation Worldwide24.6.2026 16:08:00 EEST | Press release
StatLab Medical Products, a leading global developer and manufacturer of pathology supplies and equipment, today announced the global launch of the CytoPath Disc, an innovative cell block preparation technology designed to standardize and simplify cell block preparation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260624368623/en/ Developed as an alternative to traditional cell block methods, which convert concentrated cells suspended in fluid into a paraffin-embedded format for slide-based evaluation, the patent‑pending CytoPath Disc offers a more streamlined and efficient approach. The CytoPath Disc absorbs concentrated cells within a simple, sponge-like matrix, which is then processed, embedded, stained, and sectioned using standard histology workflows. Traditional cell block preparation methods often present challenges in achieving consistent results due to complex procedures, as well as the need for additional equipm
TensorX Launches With €8M Seed Funding Round Led by Darius Cubed Ventures for Bet on European Sovereign AI Infrastructure With Plans to Deploy up to €100M in NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs24.6.2026 16:07:00 EEST | Press release
A team of Irish founders has committed €8 million to Nvidia Blackwell GPUs, including the latest B300 chips, to launch TensorX, a sovereign AI inference platform designed for Europe's AI builders, trusted by regulated industries and already generating revenue from paying customers. The company was founded by Shane Morton, is part of the NVIDIA Inception program and is partnering with Dell on sourcing GPU hardware. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260528791384/en/ (From left to right): Craig Donnelly, Shane Morton, Nicole Morton, Tim Grant At a time when enterprises are racing to adopt artificial intelligence but most remain unwilling to let their data leave European jurisdiction, TensorX offers high-performance inference with zero data retention, running entirely on dedicated hardware in Dublin and Helsinki. TensorX is also in advanced talks around a financing facility to further expand its European footprint,
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom