Acomhal Research Inc. has secured a one-year $400,000 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. This funding will support our investigation into whether a molecule that prevents invasive brain cancer stem cells from spreading can also treat aggressive forms of breast cancer, specifically triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive type of breast cancer, has a high recurrence rate, with 40 percent of patients experiencing a return and spread of the disease even after surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Our research aims to address this by targeting cancer stem cells that are resistant to conventional treatments and can rapidly seed new tumors.

Our novel peptide drug works by competing with a protein called connexin-43 for key binding sites on microtubules within cancer cells. This mechanism helps reduce the invasive qualities of cancer cells and curb their proliferation. In our pilot studies, the drug effectively decreased levels of proteins that enable cancer’s invasive characteristics.

“We’ve shown promising results with this drug in treating aggressive brain cancers. Now, we want to explore its potential in preventing the spread of triple-negative breast cancer,” said Samy Lamouille, co-founder and chief executive officer of Acomhal Research.

By targeting invasive cancer cells, the Lamouille’s team hypothesizes that the peptide drug can improve survival rates for women with aggressive forms of breast cancer. This STTR funding will allow us to conduct essential studies to further this goal.

Five years ago, Lamouille and Robert Gourdie co-founded Acomhal to continue studying this peptide’s cancer-fighting properties. Gourdie is a professor and director of the Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine Research at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and one of the peptide’s inventors.

This STTR award builds on Acomhal Research’s previous success. In 2017, it received STTR funding to develop biodegradable nanoparticles that slowly release the drug to treat glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The nanoparticles significantly decreased cancer stem cells, reduced invasion at tumor borders, and increased survival rates.

“We achieved all our objectives with our first Phase I STTR for brain cancer, and we are now applying for a Phase II grant to lay the foundation for human clinical trials,” Lamouille said. “Ultimately, our goal is to help cancer patients. This funding is crucial for advancing our research and moving closer to clinical trials and, hopefully, improving lives.”