头颈鳞状细胞癌(HNSCC)是常见的头颈部恶性肿瘤,占比90%。HPV阴性头颈鳞状细胞癌具有高侵袭性,患者术后易局部复发,预后较差。目前针对局部晚期或不可切除肿瘤的靶向治疗局限于单一生长因子受体治疗(如表皮生长因子受体EGFR)。亟需寻找同时抑制多条癌症相关生长因子受体的调控因子,并为改善HNSCC治疗开发新的治疗策略。
标新生物作为共同通讯单位,与荷兰乌得勒支大学医学中心等机构合作,在国际知名期刊《Neoplasia》上发表了题为“FER Kinase governs Invasive Growth of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma through dynamic control of Growth Factor Receptor activity”的研究论文。该研究首次揭示非受体酪氨酸激酶FER是调控HNSCC侵袭性生长的核心分子,其通过动态控制多种生长因子受体(如EGFR和MET)的活性,驱动肿瘤的侵袭和转移。FER有望成为治疗HNSCC的潜力靶点。
临床统计研究表明FER在HNSCC组织中高表达,且与患者淋巴结转移及不良预后显著相关。研究人员利用患者来源的肿瘤类器官模型证实FER对于EGFR和MET的激活及其下游MAPK信号通路的传导至关重要。机制研究表明,FER不仅调控生长因子受体在细胞膜上的初始磷酸化激活,还通过影响配体-受体复合物的内吞运输速度,控制其在内体囊泡中的持续信号传导。这种对生长因子受体活性的双重调控,使得FER成为维持HNSCC“癌基因成瘾”及介导靶向治疗耐药的关键节点(图1)。
图1. FER在HNSCC高表达,并影响预后;在类器官模型中,knock-down FER可抑制肿瘤细胞的侵袭能力。
为验证FER作为治疗靶点的潜力,研究团队设计合成FER特异性PROTAC降解剂进行靶点评价和药效学研究。在体外类器官模型及体内移植瘤模型中,FER-PROTAC分子能高效降解靶蛋白,显著抑制生长因子诱导的肿瘤细胞侵袭,并有效阻止体内肿瘤的生长。该策略克服了单一靶向EGFR或MET疗效不足的困境,不仅仅为HNSCC靶向治疗转化研究提供了全新的思路和临床前依据,也对其他侵袭性肿瘤的治疗之路提供了宝贵的价值(图 2)。
图2. 008和039可显著降解FER;在类器官模型中,008和039均可抑制肿瘤侵袭;008在PDX模型T4和T5中具有有效的抗肿瘤活性。
该研究不仅阐明了FER激酶在驱动HNSCC侵袭中的核心作用及新颖机制,还通过PROTAC技术实现了对FER的靶向降解,证明靶向FER在治疗侵袭性HNSCC方面的巨大潜力。
标新生物作为通讯单位与学术机构合作再发文章,进一步展示了GlueTacs®平台上丰富的技术储备和转化潜力,也体现出该平台重要的学术价值和商业潜力。
论文链接:
https://authors-elsevier-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sd/article/S1476-5586(25)00121-6
Gluetacs Therapeutics and International Team Reveal a New Mechanism by Which FER Kinase Regulates Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Invasion, Providing a Novel Strategy to Overcome Resistance to Targeted TherapyHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) accounts for 90% of all head and neck cancers. HPV-negative HNSCC exhibits extensive local invasion of surrounding tissues and patients often experience loco-regional relapse and local/distance metastasis. Current treatment strategies for locally advanced or non-resectable tumors targeting single growth factor receptors offer limited therapeutic benefit. There is an urgent need to identify a target that can simultaneously inhibit multiple cancer-related growth factor receptors, and to develop new therapeutic strategies to improve HNSCC treatment outcomes.
As a co-corresponding institution, Gluetacs Therapeutics, together with the University Medical Center Utrecht and other international collaborators, has published a research article in the prestigious journal Neoplasia titled “FER Kinase Governs Invasive Growth of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma through Dynamic Control of Growth Factor Receptor Activity.” This study is the first to identify FER, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, as a critical driver of invasive growth in HNSCC. By dynamically modulating the activity of multiple growth factor receptors, including EGFR and MET, FER drives tumor invasion and metastasis in HNSCC, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic target.
Clinical studies have shown that FER is highly expressed in HNSCC tissues and is significantly associated with lymph node involvement and a candidate prognostic marker for poor prognosis in patients. Using patient-derived tumor organoid models, researchers confirmed that FER is essential for the activation of EGFR and MET and the transmission of their downstream MAPK signaling pathways. Mechanistic investigations further showed that FER not only regulates the initial phosphorylation and activation of growth factor receptors at the cell membrane, but also sustains signaling within endosomal vesicles by modulating the endocytic trafficking of ligand–receptor complexes. Through this dual regulation of receptor activity, FER serves as a critical molecular node for maintaining oncogene addiction and mediating resistance to targeted therapy in HNSCC.
To verify the therapeutic potential of FER as a drug target, the research team designed and synthesized a FER-specific PROTAC degrader for target validation and pharmacodynamic studies. In both in vitro organoid and in vivo xenograft models, the FER-PROTAC efficiently degraded the target protein, markedly inhibited growth factor–induced tumor cell invasion, and effectively suppressed tumor growth in vivo.
This approach overcomes the limited efficacy of single-target therapies against EGFR and MET, providing a novel concept and preclinical foundation for translational research in HNSCC targeted therapy, while also offering valuable insights for treating other highly invasive cancers.
This study not only elucidates the central role and novel mechanism of FER kinase in driving the invasive growth of HNSCC, but also demonstrates that targeted degradation of FER using PROTAC technology holds great promise for the treatment of HNSCC. As the co-corresponding institution, Gluetacs Therapeutics, together with its academic collaborators, has published another impactful study, further highlighting the technological depth and translational potential of the GlueTacs® platform, showcasing its academic significance and commercial potential.
关于标新生物
标新生物(Gluetacs Therapeutics)是一家专注于研发口服蛋白降解小分子药物的生物医药公司,为上海科技大学孵化的首家生物医药公司,成立于2020年2月,2021年3月正式运营,由多名在蛋白降解领域深耕多年的科学家领衔创立。公司作为国内唯一一家拥有自主知识产权(IP)的分子胶(GLUE)和双功能降解剂(GLUETAC)双平台创新型生物医药公司,在全球不同国家申请和授权该领域专利超百项,具备独具特色的差异化技术路线和发展战略。公司现已自主建立人工智能虚拟筛选平台、体外药效筛选平台、药代动力学平台、蛋白质组学平台、肿瘤动物药效模型平台、临床转化平台以及医学运营注册平台,实现了完备的全流程药物研发体系建设。自从正式运营以来,标新生物成功推动两个候选药物进入临床试验阶段,核心管线已进入临床二期,适应症开发由全球发病率排第一和第二大的血液瘤管线扩展到全球发病率排前十的实体瘤管线开发,并延伸至自免适应症管线的开发,充分验证和体现了GlueTacs®平台快速发现候选药物和管线推进的能力。
标新生物自成立以来受到业内的广泛关注,荣获2025年第六届中国科学院大学校友创新论坛未来之星校友企业奖,获批2025年临港新片区专利导航项目,2024授牌成为全国生物医药企业平台理事单位,荣获2024上海市高新技术企业认定,2022-2025连续四年获得上海市科技型中小企业称号,2023、2024连续两年入选华医榜中国生物医药科技创新价值榜最具成长性小分子创新药企业TOP10,2023、2024连续两年入选上海市高价值专利运营大赛百强,荣获2024长三角高价值专利运营大赛金奖,荣获2024专精特新中小企业和创新型中小企业称号、2024临港新片区科创新锐企业称号、2024第四届生物医药明日之星大赛入围奖、2023中国海归创业大赛三等奖、2023临港杯第九届创青春上海青年创新创业大赛一等奖、2022浦东新区全球高校校友科创大赛二等奖、2022中国创新制药企业TOP10、2022第十一届中国创新创业大赛成长组全国赛优秀企业奖、2022第6届医疗健康投资卓悦榜年度生物医药最佳企业、2022第五届中国创翼创业创新大赛上海选拔赛浦东赛区十佳创翼奖、2022浦东新区全球高校校友科创大赛二等奖、2022Venture50新芽榜150强、2021年度全国颠覆性技术创新大赛优秀项目、2021年第二届生物产业年度攀登榜年度最具投资潜质的新锐BioTech、2021中国生物医药产业链创新风云榜金马奖最具关注度新锐企业TOP10奖项。公司陆续获得多项科技部和上海市科委资金支持,纳入临港新片区前沿产业优秀人才安家补贴、重点产业人才补贴、人才引进重点机构名单,知识产权管理体系获得中国专利保护协会认证,多位团队核心成员陆续获得临港新片区十大科技创新先锋人物、谈家桢生命科学产业化奖、杨雄科技创业奖、东方英才创业青年领军人才、上海高层次海外人才、上海市浦江人才和上海市启明星等称号。公司也先后成为上海科技大学创新型硕士和工程博士培养单位,并先后与十多位海内外专家教授进行科研研究合作。
About Gluetacs Therapeutics
Gluetacs Therapeutics, focusing on the development of oral small molecule protein degrader, is the first biotech company incubated from ShanghaiTech University, Gluetacs was founded in February 2020, and started to operation in March 2021. It was founded by several scientists that have done intensive studies in target protein degradation. Gluetacs Therapeutics is the only Chinese domestic company that owns independent intellectual property (IP) for both molecular glue (GLUE) and bifunctional degrader (GLUETAC). Gluetacs has secured more than 100 patents worldwide and established a uniquely differentiated technical pathway and development strategy. Gluetacs has independently established a comprehensive suite of cutting-edge platforms, including AI-driven virtual screening, in vitro pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, proteomics, oncology animal models, translational medicine, and medical operations & regulatory systems. Together, these form a fully integrated, end-to-end drug discovery and development engine that positions Gluetacs at the forefront of next-generation targeted protein degradation therapeutics. Since its official launch, Gluetacs has successfully advanced 2 candidate drugs into clinical development, with its lead pipeline already in Phase 2 trials, indication development has expanded from targeting the worldwide's TOP2 most prevalent hematologic malignancies to include solid tumors ranked among the TOP10 in global incidence, and has further extended to the development of pipelines for autoimmune indications, validating and demonstrating the GlueTacs® platform’s ability for rapid candidate discovery and pipeline progression.
长按识别二维码,关注标新
更多信息请浏览www.gluetacs.com
注:转载请注明出处,感谢您对标新生物的关注