PARIS & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NANOBIOTIX(Euronext: NANO – ISIN: FR0011341205), a late clinical-stage nanomedicine company pioneering new approaches to the treatment of cancer, today announced it will begin a pre-clinical collaboration with Providence Cancer Institute to study Nanobiotix’s lead product, NBTXR3, a first-in-class nanoparticle designed for direct injection into cancerous tumors and activation by radiotherapy.

The collaboration with Providence Cancer Institute, located at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Center in Portland, Ore., one of the world’s leading oncological research centers, will provide essential preclinical data on the ability of NBTXR3 activated by radiotherapy to induce an antitumoral immune response. This is an in-depth study into the early immunologic mechanisms, triggered by nanoparticles activated by radiotherapy compared to radiotherapy alone, and their impact on tumor control, survival and metastasis spreading.

Marka R. Crittenden, M.D., Ph.D., radiation oncologist and director of Translational Radiation Research at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Center will lead the program. “Promising pre-clinical data suggests that nanoparticles combined with radiotherapy enhance tumor-specific immune responses and lead to an abscopal response, priming a patient’s immune system to attack cancer cells outside of the radiotherapy target area,” she said. “Furthermore, we are absolutely delighted to partner with Nanobiotix to advance our research on this phenomenon and the role NBTXR3 can play in immuno-oncology.”

The collaboration between Providence and Nanobiotix will take place over the course of one year, and will evaluate the use of NBTXR3 activated by radiotherapy in pancreatic cancer models (in vitro and in vivo). Pancreatic cancer is a disease with a substantial unmet medical need, poor response to standard of care and is the third leading cause of cancer mortality in both men and women in the United State. Pancreatic cancers have a non-immunogenic tumor microenvironnement, known as “cold tumors”, and often have a poor response rate to immunotherapies.

The results of this joint program will enable the potential to explore future use of NBTXR3 in immuno-oncology as well as its potential to control metastatic disease.

In parallel, the Company has received the approval of its Investigational New Drug (IND) and will launch its first clinical trial combining NBTXR3 with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the U.S. with a multi-arm trial targeting a sub-population of advanced lung cancer patients and head and neck cancer patients. Nanobiotix’s immuno-oncology combination program opens the door to new developments, potential new indications and important value creation opportunities.

About Providence Cancer Institute

Providence Cancer Institute, a part of Providence Health & Services, offers the latest in cancer services, including diagnostic, treatment, prevention, education, support and internationally-renowned research. Located within the Robert W. Franz Cancer Center in Portland, Ore., Providence Cancer Institute is home to the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, a world-class research facility for cancer immunotherapy, a specialized field of study focused on triggering the immune system to fight cancer. Visit www.providenceoregon.org/cancer to learn more.

About NBTXR3

NBTXR3 is an injectable aqueous suspension of hafnium oxide nanoparticles designed as an innovative therapeutic agent for the treatment of solid tumors, currently in clinical development by Nanobiotix.