Felicitex Therapeutics is an oncology drug development company at the forefront of one of the most promising areas – dormant cancers. These cancers are responsible for resistance, metastasis, and recurrence. We are developing treatments that target both dormant and proliferating cancers and will improve the effectiveness and long-term outcomes of treatments for the deadliest and most therapy resistant liquid and solid tumors: hematopoietic, ovarian, pancreatic, colorectal, osteosarcoma, glioblastoma, and lung.

 

It is well established that most tumors are heterogeneous. While some of the cancer cells divide rapidly others do not. They are staying in the dormant state using it as a survival niche. This is especially true of solid tumors in which the cells in the outer layers are proliferating, but the inner volume comprises a large proportion of dormant cells, frequently as a result of inadequate nutrient supply and oxygen deprivation (hypoxia). Hypoxic regions have long been known to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Tumor hypoxia, as a target for chemotherapy, is currently an active area of research.

 

Moreover, when cancer cells are under stress from either chemotherapy, anti-angiogenesis therapy, specific targeted treatment, or radiation, cancer cells often go into dormant state (G0), using it as a niche to hide.  After the completion of treatment, these cells can mutate and acquire resistance to the current treatment, begin growing and cause cancer recurrence. 

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Felicitex developed new therapies that kill cancer cells depriving them of the dormant state. Our therapies target both proliferating and dormant, otherwise non-responsive cancer cells with multiple therapeutically beneficial outcomes: kill cancer cells, eliminate their ability to enter dormancy and develop resistant phenotype; decrease their metastatic potential; and eliminate cancer recurrence.