Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX: CU6), a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company, has announced the development of SAR-bisFAP, a novel fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-targeted radiopharmaceutical designed for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This breakthrough leverages Clarity’s proprietary SAR Technology and the “perfect pairing” of copper isotopes to address critical unmet needs in oncology.
Key Highlights
- Targeting FAP for a Pan-Cancer Opportunity:
- FAP is highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) across multiple cancers, including breast, colorectal, pancreatic, lung, brain, and ovarian cancers, but minimally in normal tissues.
- CAFs play a key role in cancer progression by supporting tumour growth and spread, making FAP a promising target for imaging and therapy.
- SAR-bisFAP Development:
- Utilizes Clarity’s SAR chelator technology combined with an advanced FAP inhibitor for improved tumour uptake and retention.
- Demonstrated superior performance in pre-clinical models, with significantly increased tumour targeting and retention compared to other FAP-targeted agents.
- Copper Theranostics Advantage:
- SAR Technology enables the use of copper-64 (64Cu) for imaging and copper-67 (67Cu) for therapy.
- Addresses limitations of existing agents using gallium-68 and fluorine-18, offering next-day imaging and enhanced therapeutic retention at tumour sites.
- Provides logistical and environmental benefits with secure copper retention over time.
- Discovery Program and Patent Strength:
- SAR-bisFAP is part of Clarity’s Targeted Copper Theranostics (TCT) platform, focused on addressing high unmet needs in oncology.
- Backed by 28 patent families, ensuring strong intellectual property protection for its innovative technologies.
Executive Commentary
Dr. Alan Taylor, Executive Chairperson, emphasized the scientific advancements underpinning SAR-bisFAP:
“SAR-bisFAP exemplifies our commitment to creating novel products that overcome existing challenges in radiopharmaceuticals. By improving tumour uptake and retention and leveraging the perfect pairing of copper isotopes, this innovation addresses both diagnostic and therapeutic gaps. The pan-cancer potential of FAP-targeted radiopharmaceuticals represents a significant opportunity to improve patient outcomes.”
What’s Next?
Clarity plans to advance SAR-bisFAP into clinical trials to explore its pan-cancer applications across a broad range of malignancies. Early pre-clinical data suggests strong tumour targeting and retention, setting the stage for this product to become a next-generation radiopharmaceutical solution in oncology.
This development reinforces Clarity’s position as a global leader in radiopharmaceutical innovation, with a pipeline of products aimed at transforming cancer diagnosis and treatment.
