Erytech adds a new product candidate to its development portfolio

French cancer focused drug developer Erytech Pharma (Euronext Paris: ERYP) has added a new product development candidate, ERY-MET, to its tumor starvation product pipeline.

Tumor cells, unlike normal cells, are described to be dependent on the external supply of certain amino acids due to their inability to synthesize them. The full or partial depletion of these amino acids from the circulation deprives these tumor cells from required nutrients and can induce tumor starvation. The enzymes that perform the degradation of these amino acids often have a short half-life and are frequently associated with high levels of side effects. Encapsulating them in red blood cells can extend their half-life and reduce their toxicity.

This principle has been demonstrated in clinical studies with GRASPA/ERY-ASP, the company’s lead product, currently in Phase III in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). ERY-ASP consists of asparaginase encapsulated in red blood cells and acts on the systemic depletion of asparagine.